50 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRUIT EXPORT 



TRADE. 



Bij J. M. Sinclair. 



Last year, wlien visiting Victoria, I had an opportunity of addressing 

 the members of some of the principal Fruit Growers' Associations and 

 giving them some information regarding the British market and its 

 requirements, based on my experience and investigations of the trade 

 in Great Britain. Some of this information may be furnished again in 

 this paper as it has been further verified and confirmed by the past 

 season's results. 



The enormous jn'oportions of the import trade of fruit from foreign 

 countries into Great Britain will be given, and it will be seen that 

 although the area placed under fruit trees in Victoria is extending from 

 year to year, so that fresh fruit is frequently a drug in local markets, 

 hardly paying expenses of production, yet no special efforts have been 

 made to get rid of this surplus by exportation and so secure a fair 

 portion of the supply of the trade. With a comparatively small 

 population in Victoria, the quantity of fruit required for consumption 

 is limited, and is often more than supplied by the quantity now grown, 

 resulting at certain seasons of the year in a glutted market and 

 unremunerative prices to the grower. This applies largely to apples 

 and pears which constitute a very considerable proportion of the 

 general crop. Many varieties grown are, of course, unsuitable for the 

 export trade, yet, on the other hand, large quantities of those specially 

 adapted for the requirements of the London market and able to stand 

 shipment, are held and sold for low prices in Melbourne or provihcial 

 markets. Many orchards have -been planted without any consideration 

 being given to the requirements of an export trade. It should be the 

 aim of growers, when extending their orchards, to give special atten- 

 tion to this, and to plant only those varieties which have been proved 

 to realise the best prices on the London market. These varieties will 

 be mentioned, although now familiar to leading growers who have 

 been shipping fi-uit for some years past, and excellent payable prices 

 have invariably been realised from year to year provided the fruit was 

 properly graded, packed, and arrived in London in good condition. 

 That there is a good market at profitable prices for these, prices 

 realised during the past five years furnish proof. 



For dessert pears arriving in London during April and May, if 

 they can be carried in good condition, as I feel certain they can if 

 properly dealt with, there is a splendid market, at higher prices than 

 can be realised for the best apples. The market then is practically 

 destitute of supplies, and fancy prices are readily paid for the best 

 varieties, as I will indicate when referring to results of shipments. 



For grapes arriving in London in the months referred to, there is an 

 excellent market at what the Victorian grower would regard as payable 



