50 

 EXPORT OF CITRUS FRUITS. 



Previous bulletins on this subject have been issued in 1913 and 

 1915. The supply of the latest has been exhausted and it becomes 

 necessary to issue a new one. 



Perhaps the pi-esent period, when no export is possible, is not 

 entirely an inopportune one in which to pass briefly in review the 

 outstanding features of the industry since its inception in 1907 until 

 its temporary eclipse in 1916. 



The number of boxes exported the first year came to a little over 

 3000', and advanced steadily; high-watei' mark was reached in 1913 

 and 70,000 boxes were sent away; then owing- to war conditions the 

 business fell to a total of 56,000 odd boxes in 1916, since when we 

 have been compelled to consume all of our product in South Africa. 

 It must be admitted that atter the first year of experimental work, 

 when railway and shipping rates were prohibitive, very considerable 

 assistance has been rendered to the grower by the action of the 

 Government. Firstly, by arranging a flat railway rate for export of 

 citrus fruit fro^m any station to any port in the Union, and, secondly, 

 by inducing the IJnion-C'astle Steamship Company to provide cool 

 chamber space at a particularly low rate. The rail rate of 15s. per ton 

 of 2000 lb. and the ship's rate of 25s. per ton cubic in cool chamber 

 are both, as far as the writer i.'i aware, lower than in any other citruh 

 exporting country. 



In 1914 a Fruit Export Act was passed which did much to regulate 

 citrus as well as deciduous fruit export. Standard sizes of boxes were 

 introduced and their use made compulsory, and by the same law it 

 was laid down that no fruit would be permitted to be exported unless 

 it had been previously inspected and passed by a competent official. 

 The benefit to' the industry of this law has been great and will be 

 incalculable. It has compelled the grading of fruits for size all over 

 the Union ; it has standardi?ed packs and given a certain guarantee 

 of quality; it has made it possible by the tise of standard sizes of 

 boxes for any grower to know at once the market price of his fruit as 

 cabled from o^-ersea. Previously, boxes of many different sizes were 

 used, and as a consequence do one knew the market price of oranges 

 from the day's cables. Regulations have been made in consultation 

 with growers and exporters, and, on the whole, it may be said that 

 without this Act the outlook for the fruit industry in South Africa 

 would be far less bright. Annual meetings have taken place between 

 the growers and officials of the Agricultural Department, and all 

 matters in connection with fruit export discussed fully and freely, 

 with the result that mtitual confidence has been established and a 

 general good feeling prevails. Some little differences arose in the 

 early stages with regard to the adoption of the different sizes of boxes 

 as standards,_ but those have all been satisfactorily settled. 



Eegulations under the Act as they stand to-day are as follows: — 



Fruit Export Act, 1914. 



Under this Act the inspection of all fruit exported oversea by an 

 officer appointed by the Government became compulsory, and regula- 

 tions were framed in consultation with leading exporters and members 



