Pink Lady producers who are members of an international alliance that aims to maintain a premium price for the variety are pleased that retail price levels have been holding during the transition from summer to autumn supplies. "The Australian season has now come to a close with the UK receiving some 160,000 cartons out of a total of 200,000 cartons," said Gordon Winterbottom, md of Corregeo which oversees the UK licensing of imports and monitors sales. "In the UK, levels of loose fruit have been steady at £2.18/kg," he said. "Fruit has now begun to arrive from France and California, taking the season on with no diminution." Winterbottom recently visited France where representatives from Australia, Argentina, Chile, Europe, New Zealand, South Africa and the US agreed on the adoption of special cartons carrying the registered brand, while quality control standards set it above Cripps Pink, the name of the actual variety. New documentation for licensed importers/exporters has been developed, with new criteria to select the best. {{FRESH PRODUCE }}

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