Adequate replacements for Californian citrus fruits

Press, 1 July 1983, Page 2

Adequate replacements for Californian citrus fruits

Supplies of Californian citrus fruits are dwindling in Christchurch but these are quickly being replaced by good quality supplies from New Zealand and Australia.

Of the Californian citrus fruits, only grapefruit is still available. Taking its place is New Zealand goldfruit, which is both plentiful and of excellent quality, according to local produce markets. At the moment they are wholesaling at $lO to $l2 a bushel. Also from the New Zealand market are lemons, which are selling for $2O to $3O a bushel. The Californian sunkist oranges have made way for top-quality Australian navels.

Oranges sell at a set retail price of $1.40 a kilogram unless they are offered at a cheaper special price. Mandarin prices were slighly down this week because of increased supplies of both clementines and satsumas. Clementines are available at $lB to $25 a bushel, and satsumas were $l5 to $lB a bushel.

Kiwifruit was plentiful and well priced at up to $25 a bushel or $1 to $1.20 a kilogram. Retail prices range between about $1.40 to $2 a kilogram.

Increased supplies of avacadoes were available this week and sold for $4O a tray.

The late start to the season means that tamarillos are still scarce and, consequently, still quite dear at $lB to $24 a halfcase.

Pepinos and passionfruit

are more plentiful and better priced. Pepinos made up to $4.60 a tray and passionfruit was $5 to $8 a quartercase.

Good supplies of feijoas, and cape gooseberries from Nelson, were also plentiful. Tomatoes were fully supplied from both local growers and the North Island. A 4.5 kg carton of Canterbury tomatoes sold for up to $lO and a 7kg carton of North Island tomatoes made $l5 to $lB.

A new shipment of Ecuadorean bananas is expected in Christchurch tomorrow and should be on shop shelves early next week. Bananas sell at a fixed retail price of $1.46 a kilogram. A temporary shortage of

cabbages meant a firming in prices to between $6 and $lO a bag. Good supplies of cauliflower were available, at $3 to $6 a bag, and brussels sprouts — local and Oamaru supplies — at $4 to $7 a bag. Broccoli was available and met a good demand, selling from $8 to $26 a case. Celery was also available but differed in quality and sold for $1 to $lO a case. Stringless beans, from the North Island, appeared in Christchurch shops this week and sold for $2l a case in the markets. Carrots were plentiful at $2 to $7 a bag, as were potatoes at $3.50 to $8 a bag, and kumara, from Motueka and Dargaville, at $l6 to $22 a case.

Good-quality garlic was plentiful and sold at $3 a kilogram, and onions were reasonably priced at $2 and $4 a bag.

A short supply of parsley bumped prices from $1.50 to $3 a bunch. Local supplies of pumpkin are dwindling as the season nears an end but these will be supplemented by supplies from other areas. This week they‘sold for up to $lO a bag. However, buttercups and butternuts were plentiful, with buttercups selling at $6 to $l2 a bag, and butternuts up to $2O a bag. Other winter vegetables in full supply this week included leeks, silverbeet, spinach, turnips, Southland swedes, yams, and radishes.