Improving Ci Fruit

Exports

V/ fR. ROSS WALKER, General VI Manager for Fruit Distributors Ltd., arrived at Rarotonga in early May and left for New Zea land by air on May 19.

Mr. Walker visited Mangaia, where he met the Island Council and discussed the possibilities of re turning to FOB selling of Man gaian pineapples. He suggested the elimination of the smaller-sized pines from future shipments, the intro duction of special cases instead of the standard citrus cases now in use: and greater care in handling during picking and loading opera tions. Fruit Distributors were not in favour of the exporting of bananas from the outer Cooks owing to loading and shipping difficulties.

At Rarotonga, Mr. Walker pro posed improved methods of hand ling and picking citrus to avoid damaging the fruit.

In the past, some Cl citrus has been carried as deck cargo to Auck land on the trans-Pacific boats which usually arrive just before the NZ week-end. To avoid this loss of time and the subsequent deteriora tion of the fruit before sale, Fruit

Distributers have arranged that the Navua should uplift the citrus previously carried by trans-Pacific vessels.

At present Cl citrus is not washed, disinfected or polished before ex-

port, as export citrus is in most cc countries, but Rarotonga’s Store, now being built, will : facilities for carrying out ti

operations.-

Whp.