THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2714, 8 March 1916, Page 8

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

VIAEKET CONDITIONS AND PRICES. The Fruits Inspectors of the Horticulture, follows on the condition of -'locally-grown fruit and vegetables in shops-ana-auction rooms, and the market position . of these, for the month of February, 1916:— Auckland;—Thearuit markets have been, rery busy, large, quantities of fruit being handled. Stone-fruit has been in short lupply throughout, -'and., prices consequently high. Late':'peaches:.are forward in better supply,'still not equal to the . demand. Ripe'rbi has-been very noticeable. Apples; and pears; are coning for- , ward freely, <and some . really. first-class 'fruit has been marketed. On the .other hand, a great deal of, inferior fruit has been marketed. Topping is very much in ovidence, causing.' a good deal of dissatisfaction. Codlin moth and black spot liLve been very prevalent, it being found necessary to condemn and destroy a considerable number of cases of fruit. About the middle cf: the month, tomatoes, wire a drug in the market,: large'quantities of good fruit, selling' as, low as Id. "and Is. per 181b. case. ; Supplies. in, consequence rapidly fell off,, and prices, quiikly advanced. to -2s'.- 6d. and' 35.. Average prices for the. latter .end 'of the Jioiitlr.were:— Apples, choice ss. • to 65., good 4s to; ss.', cookers 4s. to'ss. ;, pears; Boh: Chretien ss. ' to 7s;,' Flemish 1 Beauty, 55.. to. 6s;, ;others 3s. 6d. to is:-'6d.; -plums, .'Gs.p peaches, •" ■'choice Gs. to',7s.',- good 4s. ; to-ss;\6d.; tomatoes, 25,;6d. to 3s.;;grapes; Is. per lb.;' lemons, prime 75.-. to Bs., • roughs 4s. to 65.; passion?, ;2s."tb: 35.; qninccs,: good 4s. to 55.; others-.25.-'-to 35.: Wellington—Fruit, is in good supply, and prospects for larger consignments look promising.''Apples; in; good .supply, are not-A grade; and moth again is becoming prevalent. : Although.-the ■ supply.'is •' good, prices are also good, at .Gs. , to 7s. per case; 3s : ;3s.';;9d. s?ears are! "inclined. I to 1 ' "show. Jtoo! ;miich "spot," and; 'growers : will; have; 'to.; -.;tise conimonsense when packing, as-- quite a ■ number of pears havebeen burnt, for "Hack spot." The prices for dessert are ss. Gd. to 6s..per case. Plums are falling. . in supply, and 4s. per half-case is offeied. Southerners -should.; note, this: Tomatoes, as usual," are;' Over supplied,; and ;the ridiculous v'price. of.i9d. to -ls< .3d;, per halfcase, is offered.Peaches are ill fair supply/' I have noticed : a percentage of '"brown rot"-present in some lines.' Potatoes are in.,fair supply, and the, price ,'s ruled by the'supply—7s. to Bs. per sack is offered. Onions, ,£4 10s. per ton. Christchurch.—The market has been well supplied with seasonable fruits. Tomatoes are now rather a drag, but plums have recovered, and for good ,qual-■ ity fruit are: selling well. Codlin 1 moth' has been much in evidence, and many , lines have'been destroyed. • i Tho follow-' ! ing are current prices -.—Apples, besides- '; sort, 6s. Gd. per case, cookers. ,35.-to-45.-■per case, good supply ; pears, 2s. 6d. fo ts. bushel oase, over supply; peaches, Teriot, ss. to tts. bushel ease, local in trays', 2d. :o 3}d. per lb.; nectarines, Bs. to 10s. bushel ;ase; plums, 3s 1 . .to 4s:'Gd. half-case; jrapes, Gd.' to 9d. per lb.; strawberries, Is." lid.-'per punnet; mushrooms, 3d. to 6d._ Jb., plentiful; cucumbers, Is.- Gd. to-25." half-case; potatoes, 7s. to. Bs. cwt.; onions, £2 15s. toil. in .paddock. ;■ .: 1 ' Dnnedin.—A good many lines of apples and pears have been condemned: and' destroyed for ■ codlin moth and scab: The following are ' the wholesale . prices :— 'Apples, plentiful: dessert,, lid. to 3d. lb., cookers 2s. 6d. to 4s. .bushel case; a line Df Cox's oranges,'Bs. case;'tomatoes,;hot-,. a'onße;,Gd. to 7d. lb., Nelson grown, 3s. !d. to 4s. half-case; peaches, jam Id. to - id., dessert 2id. to 3Jd-' ' Id. to 2d. lb.; plums, jam Id. lb., dessert 13d. to 3d. lb.;"apricots, nearly finished, 2d. to 3|di lb.; raspberries, about finished, 7d. to -7M. lb. i new potatoes, local 7s. to Bs. cwt"; grapes,; local, Bd. lb.; blackberries, 6d. lb.; nectarines, 13d. to 3d; jb.;.vegetables, in poor supply: cabbage, Is. to 2s. dozen; rhubarb, .6d. .to Is. bundle, almost unsaleable; turnips, Gd. dozen tranches; cauliflowers, scarce,"-2s; co 2s. 6d..dozfen for small, 4s. to ss. dozen for large; beans, French 2d. to 3d. lb'., broad I'd. lb. Bluff.—All seasonable fruits have been plentiful, and prices have been comparatively low. The fruit is mostly free from ■ ■ disease. Otago Central, district has supplied some very good lines, well graded, and clean—These hnye commanded the best prices. Current wholesale prices are Apples,dessert 7s. to Bs. 6d. case, cook-

ing 4s to 65.; pears, desseH ss. tx> 75., cooking, 3s. to 55.; tomntoes, beginning ot month Id. to 8(1., at close, ljd. to 5n.; peaches, ljd. to 2Jd. lb.; apricots, Jul. to 3lb. Jb.; plums Id. to 2i<l. lb., local grown, poor quality 2s. easej greengages, 3d. lb;nectarines, 2<l. to 3d. toes, beginning of month, .£5 to .£< ton, at close "£1 to .£5; onions, ss. Gd. to.Gs. Cd. cwt,;' cabbage, 2s. to 3s. Gd. sack; carrots, parsnips, turnips, Is. to Is. Gd. dozeii- bunches; cucumbers, 2d. to 4ki; each; green peas, ljd. to 2d. lb.; French beans, l'ld. to 2d. lb.