Total from 383,000 97.2 420,000 97.9 160,694 33.9 131,206 170 Foreign Countries. Total Imports 394,000 1000 429,000 1000 473,766 100.0 772,435 100.0 Consumption per head per annum for the trien- ... lbs. 4 6 12 15. The production of dried tree fruits in Australia is undertaken in the southern parts of the Continent and in Tasmania. With the exception of dried apples, largely obtained from Tasmania, the Murray Valley is the chief centre of production. Dried apricots constitute the most important crop, followed in order by dried plums and prunes, dried apples and pears, and dried peaches. Small quantities of figs and dried nectarines are also produced. Production of all classes of dried tree fruits in Australia has somewhat increased during the past few years. 16. At the present time Australia does not export prunes, dates, and figs. The area planted with prunes has largely increased since the war, and an export market for the surplus, over and above local consumption, will be required in the immediate future. There is a small export of dried apples and dried peaches. The main dried tree fruit exported to the United Kingdom at the present is, however, the apricot. There is practically unlimited room for expansion of dried tree fruit production in Australia, but here, as in regard to dried vine fruits, which are discussed in our separate Report on those fruits, the prospect of expansion depends upon the securing of remunerative markets. The suitability of the Murray Valley in Australia for the production of dried figs of high quality has been amply demonstrated. In respect of dates the position is as yet unproven. It may be that a considerable crop could be produced in certain regions. 17. In connection with dried tree fruit production in Australia it is interesting to refer to the difference in price at the present time between dried prunes and dried apricots. The bulk of the dried prunes are sold at prices which may be roughly averaged at from 40s. to 60s. per cwt., and dried apricots at 100s per cwt. and over. The world market of the former is completely dominated by the overspill of the Californian supplies not consumed in the United States. The advantage of the Californian producer as against the Empire producer is offset to some extent in the United Kingdom market by the preference of 7s. per cwt. which Empire prunes enjoy under the United Kingdom tariff. Dried apricots command high prices because of a relative shortage of supply. 18. We have dealt in our separate Report on Dried Vine Fruits with the cost of cultivation in Australia as compared with other parts of the world. The labour position in regard to dried tree fruits is much the same as it is in regard to dried vine fruits. It is, however, important to refer to the specially heavy cost of labour in the production of dried tree fruits other than prunes. For example, six tons of apricots in the fresh state are required for the production of one ton of the dried fruit. The apricots must be picked individually and the stone removed by individual handling. The same considerations apply equally to peaches and nectarines. 19. The production of dried tree fruits in South Africa as an article of commerce is confined to the south-western portion of the Cape Province. In the Transvaal trees are now being planted with a view to the production of dried fruits. The chief dried fruit. at present produced in South Africa is the peach, the apricot being next in importance. Dried pears, prunes, apples, and figs are comparatively unimportant as yet. During the last five years an 58785 G 3 increase in production in all of these fruits has taken place. The increase has been most marked in regard to apricots, which are of high quality. As recently as 1910 South Africa imported an appreciable quantity of dried fruit of various kinds, but progress in the local industry has been so rapid that at the present time not only are all local requirements met but a considerable export trade has been developed. This has varied in extent in recent years, but an exportation of 140,000 cwts. has been reached. Although the cultivation of figs has not yet been undertaken on a large scale they can be grown to perfection in most of the fruit growing districts, and there is every possibility of an important trade developing in this fruit. 20. As we have already stated, we have dealt in our Dried Vine Fruit Report with labour costs. It is, however, interesting to state that in most factories and packing houses in South Africa, where dried tree fruits are prepared, native labour has been largely replaced by white women packers, while some factories now employ white labour only. 21. The principal dried tree fruit produced by Canada is dried (evaporated) apples. This is mainly produced in the Province of Ontario. The production of dried apples on a greatly increased scale would exercise a most important influence in stabilising the economic condition of the apple industry of Canada, and in raising the general standard of fresh fruit grading by providing a commercial outlet for externally blemished specimens. The only obstacle is the difficulty of securing a satisfactory market. It is worthy of note that the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture has been conducting experiments in the dehydration of various fruits, particularly apples, with the object of stimulating the production of a high grade product. 22. In the United States prunes, apricots, peaches, and apples are dried on a very large scale in California and in some of the other Western States. The home market is protected for the Californian producer by a tariff, and it is the surplus which this local market does not require which is exported. The surplus is, however, so great that, as shown in the statistics in the earlier portion of this Report, supplies of this fruit from the United States completely dominate the United Kingdom market. 23. An interesting recent development in California and Arizona is the production of dates. It is estimated that 1,000 acres are now planted with dates in California alone. The development of this industry in a high wage country is one which should be watched with considerable interest by Australia and South Africa. 24. Dried plums and prunes are produced on a considerable scale in South Eastern Europe, notably in Yugoslavia. Considerable but fluctuating quantities of the cheaper varieties of this fruit reach the United Kingdom market every year. 25. The main supply of figs consumed in the United Kingdom. comes from Turkey, which in 1924 sent no less than nine-tenths of the total quantity consumed. The figs are grown in the neighbourhood of Smyrna and exported through that port. 26. The dates of Iraq are grown in the valleys of the Euphrates and Tigris. Large quantities are consumed locally, but a very large export trade to all parts of the world has been developed. This has increased very considerably during the post-war period. VI. Preferential Tariff in the United Kingdom. 27. Under the United Kingdom tariff figs and dates were dutiable for many years, but the duty on dates was removed by Mr. Gladstone in 1860, since which year they have been free of duty. Dried and preserved plums and prunes have also been dutiable for considerable periods, dried apricots being charged as preserved plums. Peaches, which have been regarded botanically as falling outside the plum genus, are exempt from duty. Both dried and raw apples and pears were liable to duty prior to 1860, in which year the duty was abolished. At 28. The position, therefore, is that of the various classes of dried tree fruits imported into the United Kingdom figs, apricots and prunes alone are dutiable. Consequently when the system of tariff preferences was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1919 it applied to these dried tree fruits and these alone. Thus, figs, dried apricots and prunes, when obtained from Empire sources, enjoyed a preference of one-sixth of the duty, i.e., a rebate of 1s. 9d. per cwt., as compared with the full duty of 10s. 6d. the Imperial Economic Conference in 1923 the Home Government proposed the imposition of a duty of 10s. 6d. per cwt. on all dried tree fruits, except dates, with the admission of Empire supplies free. This proposal was, however, not ratified by the Parliament at Westminster. In 1924 the duty on dried tree fruits was reduced from 10s. 6d. to 7s. In 1925 the preference was increased to the full amount of the duty. Such Empire dried tree fruits as are dutiable are, therefore, now admitted free of duty and so enjoy a preference of 7s. per cwt. 29. The tariff position at the present time in regard to dried tree fruits imported into the United Kingdom is as follows: VII.-Grading and Packing. 30. In Canada Government Regulations lay down definite standards of grading for evaporated apples. They prescribe the quality and colour of the fruit to be used, and require that it shall be properly peeled, cored, and trimmed. It is also laid down that the maximum moisture content shall be 25 per cent. This moisture content refers to the natural moisture of the fruit. Artificial moisture is not permitted and the addition of such artificial moisture is regarded as adulteration. 31. In Australia, so far as grading for size is concerned, the grading of dried tree fruits is carried out by machinery. Grading for colour is carried out by "classers" at the door of the packing shed. These sheds are, in the majority of cases, co-operatively owned. The Federal Government enforces regulations laying down minimum standards for grading for export. Inspection is carried out by Federal Government inspectors before exportation is permitted. 32. We have been informed in evidence that traders in the United Kingdom regarded Australian dried tree fruits, particularly dried apricots, as of very high quality. We have also been told that in one pound of dried Australian apricots there is less moisture than there is in one pound of Californian dried apricots It has been estimated that the water content of Australian dried apricots is from 12 per cent. to 20 per cent. less than in Californian samples. This, we are told, is due to the fact that the Australian fruit is simply dried, graded, and packed, whereas the Californian fruit is subjected to a process after drying and before packing. This process incidentally adds considerably to the moisture content of the fruit. This means that the housewife purchasing Australian dried fruit obtains more fruit to the pound than she does of Californian dried fruit. 33. The export of dried tree fruits from the Union of South Africa is controlled by Government regulations issued under the Fruit Export Act of 1914. These Regulations require that all fruit must be passed by the Government fruit inspector before exportation is permitted. They also prescribe the conditions of packing and the types of boxes or bags. Dried nectarines, apricots, peaches, plums, and apples must be packed in boxes. Dried prunes that have not been processed may be packed either in boxes or in bags. The boxes must bear the registered brand of the exporter, the name of the variety of fruit, and the shipping mark of the agent employed by the exporter to ship the fruit. Dried prunes packed in bags must have clearly branded on the bag the registered mark of the exporter, the kind of fruit, and the grade. The South African fruit grower has in particular concentrated upon the production of high quality apricots and as a result this fruit has achieved considerable reputation in the United Kingdom market. |