FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 92, 11 January 1918, Page 8

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

: '■■.;;; reports on prospects. i. ■-•-.'• Fruit inspectors of the Horticnltun I ',■ J report as follows on the coni --dition of locally-grown fruit and vcge- :■■ tables in shops and auction rponis, ; '"and the marked conditions for the .month of December, 1917. !'.■■■- ■ Auckland. ■"" Local summer fruits havo been com- ;; ing forward in increasing quantitief f- ...(luring the month, and tho markei ; . - has" kept Busy, especially Christmas : ■-.. week.' Prices were high, but peaches, ' -plums, and grapes "Began., to decline to- :. .wards the end oUlie'inontli. A few Y "—lines of early varieties of apples am! : : pears came forward, some of, whlcr ; 'were slightly affected with codlin niotr •and black spot. -■' :.■ ',„ Peaches are now '■■ getting,plentiful :) end prices dropping. : ■ [■■■-■ Lemons —The demand has steadily ini • creased and values have risbn.' Somt ; ■■- well-graded curedr'oncs reached 30s ; "per case. Strawberries have been in good supi '.ply, but the demand has been good, I ■ and prices havo ruled high throughoul ; -the month. > ■-■-■■•' "Apricots.—Early varicfies have been | ''■" fairly plentiful ffiiis season. ■:- - .Plums.—English' and Japanese havt .- \~beemwell supplied. ■ .... Potatoes.—Old ones are now of little ' ... value. New oneS of good quality art / ~..-. now supplying the market. ■' -.-■' Vegetables.—Root varieties aro etill ; : scarce, but all other- table kinds' arc !\ ""plentiful, and prices fairly low,;/ : ""., Average prices for tho month are: I '"—Apples, coloured, 10s. to 17s.;' plums, •» :Z English dark 6s. to 10s., other yarie- ;: - ties Bs. to 55.; peaches, coloured' 7s. ■. -—.to Bs., others 4s. to 55.; apricots, : '""" ohoice 10s. to 125., others 7s. to'9s.; : ~r : lemons, choice 20s. to 305., good 14s. to ■"■"■" 18s.,- coaree to factory 3s. 6d.; goose- "~ berries,. English ss. 6d. to 75., prime I_,7s. to 95.; strawberries, Is. 6d. to ...■ Is. 10d. per lb.; grapes, hothouse, ,la- ,_._ 6d. to 2s. per lb.; cherries, Is. to Is. v ■ 4d. per lb.; walnuts, lid. per lb.; pas- ' '/— sions, 10s. to 12s. per r.sw pota- ' ~" toes, Bs. to 9s. per cwu.; 25<i. ', : "2 per lb.; cucumbers, 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per, dozen.. LZ ■' ' Christchurch. • ■ ■ ' '■■ The markets are now becoming verj «— tusy handling small fruits and carlj ' V" peaches, plums, etc. The demand has "■" been very good,' and prices during" Jihc ',""" holidays were exceptionally liign. Sea- '„'". sonable fruit is coming forward fairlj freely, and inspection of auction roomc --• and.shops will be regularly carried oti< from Dow on. Average prices: Toma- '■ vetoes, Is. to Is. 6d. per lb.; cherries, -- black 7d. to Is. per lb., white 6d. to * 10d. per lb.; peaches, 6d. to Is. per "~ lb.; strawberries, local Is. 2d. to Is. ■■".'.J 4d. per chin/ Waimate 9d. to Is. per i.~ chip; currants, black and red, 4d.- to - 6d.'per lb.; gooseberries, 2Jd. to 43. '■•-■ per lb.; cucumbers, 6d. to Bd. per lb.j ■ peas (green), Sd. to Is. 4d. per peck; - potatoes,.new local 2d...:,t0 .3d. per lb., y-northern l|'d. to 2d. perlb.; rasp"berries,' M. to:ls. Id. per lb. ""■':■"■ - '' : - 'V Dunedin.': "ri Business during the month has been ■■•■ v on the brisk side, a feature of the holi- ■ ""day ee'aspn-"being the'.-pfices for tom:v ■"■'"toes."', OulyViri'oderate Supplies of cherJ;ries are available,'this'is'no doubt. Am ~."",.t0 the recent wet weather: The ma:r-

tat is still barely supplied with stono tniits from Otagri Central. The following are the wholesale prices:— Strawberries, Is. 3d. to 2s. per pottle; cherries, fair, Is. to Is. 6d. pot Iβ., choice, 2s. 3d. per lb.; plums, Canterbury, 5d.-per lb.; apricots, 4d. to '< • per lb.; peaches, up to.Sd. (trays), od. to -id. por lb. (case lines); black currants, 3*d. por lb.; "grapes, hothouse, 2s. jer lb.; goosoberries, 2Jfl. to 3d. per lb.; tomatoes, local, Is. 6d to Is. lid. per lb., Christchurch, Is. "d. per lb.; green peas, 3d. to <!d. per lb.; cucumbers, local, lis. to !)s. doz., choice, Us. doz.; new potatoes, cabbage, choice, 3s. doz.: ■ cauliflowers, choice, 7s. per doz.; ]cC tuce, Is. 9cL per case, choice, Is. 6d per doz.; parsnips. Is. 6d. per doz.: carrots, now, Iβ. 2d. per doz. bunches; spring onions, 4d. per bundle; radishes, sd. per doz. bunches. __. Invercargill. Owing to tho irregular running of the Melbourne steamers causing' a shortage of imported fruit, the.locally grown fruit has commanded ..good . prices. The firet of tho peaches, apricots, and plums are on the market, and although on tho green side meet with a ready sale. Tomatoos, chdrries, and strawberries have been very scarcefor, the Christmas season. The fruit has all been marketed in good condition and clean. Current wholesale prices herewith:—Apples (short supply), 18s. to £1 per.case; peaches, 2d.*to 7d. poi-'lb.; apricots, 2d. to Bd. per lb. ; cherries, Gd, to Is. 6d. per lb.; strawberries (short supply), Is. 3d. to 2s. per lb.; black' currants, 3|d. to 4d. ner lb.; tomatoes, lid. to Is. 6d. per lb.; cucumbers, Bs. to lls. per doz.; ruhbarb, lid. to 2d. per lb.; Cabbage, 4s. per sack; bears,- 2d. to. 3Jd. per )b.; Dotatoes, old, unsaleable, new, 2d. per lb.;, onions, 18s. per cwt.