Apples For Export

A bumper apple crop in the Gisborne district this season has resulted in a spectacular upsurge in fruit for export overseas. In the past few years only a few hundred cases were available for export, but this year the figure has jumped to over 25,000 cases.

To illustrate this phenomenon, "Photo News" recently paid a visit to the orchards of one of the district's major producers, that of Mr John Brodie at Manutuke, where these pictures were taken.

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Gathering in a rich harvest of Granny Smiths: Mrs Audrey Reid and Mrs Frances Jones at work in a heavily-laden tree.

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Glenys Raggett, Sheryl Brodie, and Treve Sadler picking up windfalls.

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Bulk bins of apples are carted away by Ian Atkins, using a tractor with a fork lift.

Included in the Gisborne apples being exported this year will be Cox's Orange Pippin, Kidd's Orange Red, Ballarats, Red and Ordinary Delicious, Stumers, Granny Smiths, Statesmen and Doherty. The district crop, according to Mr Tom Troy of the Department of Agriculture, is of exceptionally high standard. About 60,000 cases have already been packed, the balance over and above the export quantity being stored for local consumption.

"These apples for local use are of the same standard as those for export," commented Mr Troy. "There's no question of the best going away and only the second-best being good enough for local buyers".

In our picture survey of Brodie's orchard we saw trees more heavily-loaded with high-class fruit than ever before in our experience. The big winds of a few weeks back had shaken off only a small percentage.

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High up on their ladders, Johnny Jones and Doug Bull are stripping a tree.

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Mrs Jones and Margaret Duckworth emptying apples into one of the bulk bins

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Jennifer Nicoll and Mrs Muriel Brodie, watched by Lyn Brodie, inspect apples for blemishes as they start on trip through grader.

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Lelghton Sadler, one of the fastest packers in the bay, averages about 200 cases a day.