AT THE MARTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 229, 27 September 1929, Page 4

AT THE MARTS.

APPLES SLIGHTLY LOWER. RIPE BANANAS SCARCE. FRESH SHIPMENTS OF FRUIT. ' Though the demand for good cooking and dessert apples remains keen, prices this week show a slight falling tendency. Pears are up in price, and good dessert are being sought after. Many lines opened wasty, and these have bec.n sold at a relatively low figure. Oranges are lower in price than last week, but are freely saleable. A further shipment will arrive to-day by the Golden Cloud from Los Angeles, which will also bring a quantity of grapes and a few plums. The demand for grapes at present is only fair. The Tofua, due on Monday morning from Fiji, will replenish the stock of tomatoes, and also of bananas. Ripe repacked bananas are scarce and dear. A small shipment of citrus fruit from Australia is to arrive by the Ulimaroa next week. A feature of the fruit season has been the increased demand for New Zealand grapefruit, and this demand has been not among the factories for the jam variety, but in the shops for the dessert fruit. During the past year some 20,000 to 30,000 cases have been sold, mostly grown in the Auckland province. Market quotations are:—Apples: Delicious, extra fancy, 13/ to 14/; others, 10/ to 12/; Sturmers, 11/ to 13/; Dougherty, 10/ to 13/6; Granny Smith, 12/ to 15/. Pears: Nellis, good condition, 10/ to 12/6; others, 7/6 to 10/; P. Barry, 9/ to 10/. Lemons: Choice, 8/ to 10/; medium and No. 2, 6/ to 8/. Oranges: Island repacks, 20/ to 24/; Poorman, No. 1, 5/6 to 6/6; medium and small, 4/ to 5/; local, sweet, 8/ to 10/; New Zealand grapefruit, 7/ to 8/6. Tree tomatoes, 4/ to 8/6. Bananas: First grade repacks, 29/ to 30/; mediums, 25/ to 26/. Grapes: Thompson's seedless, "16/; white Malagas, 20/; Cornichan black, 38/. Tomatoes: Cook Island, 5/ to 7/; hothouse, 1/ to 1/4 lb. Asparagus Coming In. Local supplies of hew potatoes are now much more plentiful, and there were 120 bags at the marts to be disposed of to-day. Those from Norfolk Island are all sold. Southern potatoes (old), have a hardening tendency. Onions are also higher than last week, and there is a fresh shipment of the Californian variety due from Los Angeles by the Golden Cloud to-day. Asparagus is now coming in in larger quantities, with an accompanying fall in price. Incongruous amidst a world of. vegetables of all sorts, a few tiny bags of green peas from a local hothouse make their appearance, but there are not enough for them to even find a market quotation. Ruling values are:—Potatoes: Southern, 8/6' to 10/ cwt; new, firsts, 4d to 5d lb; seconds, l%d to 3d lb. Onions,- 16/ to 18/6 crate; kumaras, Island, 9/ to 11/ cwt; cabbage,. 2/ to 10/ sack; cauliflower, 2/6 to 9/6 sack; swedes,. 1/ to 2/ sack; pumpkins, 8/ to, 18/ cwt; green peas, 2/ lb; beans, 2/ to 2/6 lb; lettuce, 2/ to 8/ case; cucumbers, hothouse, 6/ to 10/6 dozen; cabbages, on benches, 1/6 to 3/ dozen; cauliflowers, on benches, 1/ to 4/3 dozen; celery, .1/ to 4/6 bundle; rhubarb, 3/ to 6/ dozen; spinach, 1/ to 1/6 dozen; pumpkins, on benches, 1/6 'to 2/6 each; spring onions, 4d to 1/ bundle; radish, 9d to. 1/3 dozen; carrots, parsnips, beet and turnips, 6d to 1/ dozen; "asparagus, 9d to 2/6 bundle; leeks, 3d to 6d bundle. Eejgs Steady. No change is reported in the egg market, and a moderate supply is met with, .a fair demand. Values for first quality are: Hen eggs, special grade, 1/3 dozen; A grade, .1/2; B grade, 1/1. Duck eggs/ special grade, 1/2 dozen; A grade, 1/1; B grade, !/• i A moderate supply of farmers' butter 'is met by a fair demand. It is sold from 1/1 to 1/4 a lb.