FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2482, 8 June 1915, Page 8

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

LOCAL MARKET CONDITIONS. Fruit inspectors of tho Orchards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division report as follows on the conditions of locallygrown fruit and vegetables ill shops and auction rooms, and the market position of these, for the month of May:— Auckland.—Owing to a better demand eixsting for choice dessert fruits, business in the fruit markets has improved during the month. Apples and pears of prime quality have advanced in price, cooking varieties are also selling well. Hothouse grapes are in demand at liigher values. Hie supply of lemons ha%-e fallen off slightly, and values have advanced ■ accordingly., Small quantities of pears are being drawn from cool stores to meet demands. During the season large quantities of pears and apples wero cool-stored here, which ensure a steady supply during the winter months. All green vegetables are in good supply. Pumpkins are very plentiful. The potato market ■has improved, and although values have advanced the supply is equal to the demand. The supply of kumeras is falling .off. Average prices for tho latter part of the month are: —Apples, superior dessert, 6s. to 75.; good, os. to 65.; others, 2s. 6d. to 45.; choice cookers, 6s. to 75.; others, 3s. to ss. Pears: Choise dessert, 6s. to 75.; good, 4s. to os.; cookers, best 45., medium 3s. Hot-' house grapes, Is. to Is. od. per lb. Lemons: Prime, 7s. to Bs.; good, os. to 65.; rough and coarse, 3s. to 4s. Capo gooseberries, 4d. to 6d. per lb. Passionfruit, 6s. to 7s. per case. Tomatoes: Hothouse, ss. to 6s._; others, 3s. to 4s. per case. Wellington.—Large quantities of locally-grown apples and, pears continue to arrive in the markets. Although the Tiulk of the fruit is second grade, there is a decided improvement in clean fruit, compared with last year. Packing and grading has also improved, but at times I have noticed many lines that .would give the grower more credit, sliould be mark them second grade instead of first. The prices for the month compared with' May of last year show an improvement. Apples: Sturmers, ss. ito 75.; Delicious, 4s. 6d. to 65.; Jonathans, os. to 6s. 6d.; Fivo Crown, 4s. 6d. to as. 6d.; Munroe's Favourite, 4s. to ss. 6d.; Alfriston, ss. to 6s. per case. Pears: Winter Cole, 7s. to 10s.; Winter t'Nelis, 7s. to 9s. 6d.; Vicar of Winkfield, 3s. to 3s. 6d.; Broom Park, 4s. 6d. to os. 6d. per case. Vegetables "nave been in heavy supply, and the prices are rather low, especially in tho cabbage and savoy lines. Demands for vegetables are beginning to come very frequently from Australia, and possibly there will be a greater demand next year. All hard vegetables are firm m price. Potatoes are uncertain, while jnions remain at the same prico as last aionth. ' Christchurcli.—Regular shipments of apples from Auckland, Nelson, and Central Otago make up the shortage of the local crop. These for the most part have arrived in splendid condition, jears are still in good supply, but the demand remains very poor. Grapes are about over, and tho supply of tomatoes has greatly diminished. Following are the present prices:—Apples: Dessert, vs. to 95.; cookers, ss. 6d. to 6s. 6d. Pears, 2s. to os. per case; grapes, Is. to Is. 3d. per lb.; tomatoes, 3d to od. per lb.; chestnuts, 3d. per lb.; hazel nuts, 4d. per lb.; walnuts, 5Jd. per lb.; potatoes, £4, in paddock; onions, £3 iu paddock. Dunedin. —Business on the local market lias' been fairly brisk during the past month, except for the few latter days.., Pears have now eased off in supply, and better prices are being obtained. There is a good demand for cooking apples, which have been in short supply throughout the" month. Supplies of tomatoes are now diminishing, and very fair prices are realised for such as come to hand, outside samples bringing as much as 6_kl. per lb. ,TJie average prices "ruling for the month are as follow:—Apples: Dessert, ,ss. 10 Bs.; cooking, ss.- to 75.; quin-ies, iu demand, 2d. to 3d.' per lb. Tomatoes: Local hothouse, 6d. to Bd. per lb.; Canterbury, outside, choice, 3d. to 6d. per lb. Grapes: Local hothouse, up to Is. Bd.; others, Gd. to 9d. Grapes are now al-J jiiost finidied for the season. ; Messrs. Murray, Roberts, and Co., Ltd., shipped per the Moana, on account of Mr. Ernest Short, of Fc-ilding, a valuable consignment of Romney Marsh sheep, consisting of the ram by Sir. Short's well-known champion and 15 live lambs. At Edinburgh a painter fell from the third story of a warehouse, and in his fall he struck a woman passer-by, who was killed instantaneously. The painter died in au infirmary. ,