MARKET CONDITION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2510, 10 July 1915, Page 3

MARKET CONDITION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

OFFICIAL MONTHLY REPORT. ,' t ■■ Fruit Inspectors of the ' Orohards, Gardens, and Apiaries Division report as follows on tho condition iof- locallypirown fhiit' anii .vegetables in shops and auction, rooms, Mid the market position of these for tho.month of June:— 'AUCKLAND. Business in the fruit and produco 'markets; has, only '"been - fair , during- the past month. Retailers complain of bad business. - and the markets suffer accordingly. Large.-quantities of .local apples are boing handled, much, in oxcess of, requirements, i Pears are scarce, and lines drawn from t»ol store'are mostly over-ripe and require re-packing. Hothouse grapes are more plentiful, and lower'prices-are ruling. ons are in good demand..PasjJion fi;uit is' almost finished. • : Onions are mostly soft,"and not keeping well,' the demand is good. Tho potato market is well supplied • with,: southern shipments. Prices: advanced slightly-, towards. /the" end : of■ -the month, < Pumpkins are very plentiful. ' Tho average prices ruling during the: month are as - follows trApples : Extra ■ superior dessert 7s.', prime-6s'.;; good 4s. to 55., cooking'4s. to-65.; pears: 1 best, dessert Bs. to 95.,' medium ,4b. to 55., cooking ss. per case; hothouse: grapes; Is. to Is. 4d. per lb.; outdoor/ tomatoes, 4d. par lb. ;; prime lemons, Bs. : to - 95.; rough and course', 4s, to 5g..; passion fruit, 6s. per cass.

~ • WELLINGTON. • r Fair quantities of locally-grown fruit are to hand with prices slightly eased,, • caused no doubt by tho heavy supplies jof Island and. fruits. J Apples, arriving- are inferior, but clean i and free from disease,; which is a good point.- The prices ruling for the month are as follow:—Apples: Dessert 4s. to Bs., cooking 3s: to ss. 6d. per .'case; pears: dessert 3s. 6d. to' 95., cooking is. to ss. per case,' Vegetables are in good demand, and prices aro satisfactory. I havo had several inquiries, concerning tlio quick drop in prices that sometimes takes place. . This is caused, through the quantity on the market. • ' Potatoes aro standing well up' in-the iprice .list "this season,, and several'; inquiries are. forward for good tubers/' Onions remain uhchangedV Cauliflowers/in good' demand,. 18s. 6d, per sack; cabbage,; 3s. to 3s. 6d. per sack; marrows, 4s. Gd. to 65.; swedes, 25.; turmps,' Is. 6d.; carrots, 3s. 6d. to 45.. 6d. per sack; potatoes, £7 10s., per ton; onions, 4s. 6d. per sack.-

, CHRISTCHURCE. Apples are the .mainstay of the markets. . The supply of: dessert, fruit is drawn largely from Nelson and Auckland. . Prices rule as follow:—Apples: Dessert 7s. to 9s.,,cooking, 6s. to. 75.; pears, 3s. to ss. per. case and no demand); tomatoes, hothouse 6d. per.lb.; potatoes,-£5 ss. per ton in paddock j onions, £3 , per ton in , paddook, ■ . -

•• Supplies of local fruit are now al-most,'-exhausted. . Consignments of apples and pears have fallen off during the month. A few lots of pears, mostly cookers, are ooming forward, from Christchuroh. These are • bringing 'about ss. per caso. .One. or two lilies of desserts from Alosandria realised up to 3Jd. per lb. Dessert apples are in short, supply. ' The following are the average prices ruling for the month :— Apples:, Choice dessert 2Jd. to 3d. per lb., medium dessert 2d. to 2Jd.,per lb., choice cooking'ss. 'to'7s.. per qaso, me-, dium:cooking;4s. to ss. .per case; tomatoes, insido grown. 9d; to ,10d., outside lid; to 2d; per lb. (crop nearly,' finished')..