300 Journal of the Department op Agriculture. 



known how conditions prevailing as a result of the war have helped 

 this country to open up a market oversea for its dried fruit, as well 

 as for other products for which formerly no market there existed. 

 But with the opportunities which thus arose of finding a wider outlet 

 for our produce and building up a much-needed oversea trade, there 

 have arisen also obstacles in the way to success through the action of 

 exporters sending forward inferior goods. We refer in particular 

 to the criticism which has recently been levelled by oversea and local 

 merchants at the poor quality of raisin produced in the Union and 

 placed on the London market. Prior to decontrol, the Imperial 

 Government paid the same price for all raisins, irrespective of quality 

 or package. Since the removal of control, however, the South 

 African raisin has commanded a smaller price than the product of 

 other countries, and the demand for it has seriously fallen off, the 

 principal cause lying in the failure to pack or grade the article with 

 sufficient care. Many complaints have been made in this respect, 

 and the oversea sale is seriously affected, the consequence of failure 

 to study the requirements of the market. During the war, when 

 supplies were short, the market was content to take anything provided 

 it was sound, irrespective of how it was graded, but now that trade 

 has reverted more or less to the ordinary competitive system, the need 

 is urgent for the marketing of our produce in the most attractive 

 manner and in conformity with the wishes of the market we wish to 

 secure. Other exporters, indeed, who recognized this in the past are 

 awake to the necessity of even greater care than previously in pre- 

 senting their articles for sale; Valencia packers are now doing this, 

 with the result that their goods are eagerly sought after by retailers, 

 while the sale of Cape raisins languishes. And it is expected that 

 there will be a heavy production of raisins this season, and producers, 

 merchants, and others concerned in the raisin trade have strongly 

 represented the urgent need for a change of methods to save the situa- 

 tion on the London market. 



With a view, therefore, to fostering the trade in South African 

 dried fruit, the Department convened a conference of fruit 

 growers and others concerned, for the purpose of discussing the 

 question of inspection, grading, etc., of dried fruits for export, and 

 considering the regulations proposed to be issued in this connection. 



The conference took place in Capetown on the 4th March, 1921, 

 and was most representative. Mr. Du Toit, Secretary for Agricul- 

 ture, was in the chair, and m his opening address outlined the present 

 position of the trade and the need for its proper control. Mr. H. E. Y. 

 Pickstone moved and Mr. Heatlie, M.L.A., seconded: "That this 

 meeting of delegates, interested in the export of dried fruit, is 

 unanimously in favour of the same being placed under Government 

 supervision, and under such regulations as may be decided upon 

 later." 



The conference then proceeded to deal with the various clauses 

 of the draft regulations, drawn up by the Department, copies of which 

 had previously been sent to producers interested in the industry. 

 The matter was fully and freely discussed, and it is certain that the 

 regulations finally adopted, details of which will duly appear in the 

 Journal, will be the means of securing for South African dried fruit 

 the same excellent name on the oversea market that our inspected 

 produce now enjoys. 



