CITRUS FRUITS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1942, Page 4

CITRUS FRUITS

SUPPLIES & PRICE CONTROL STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF MARKETING. IN REPLY TO MEMBER FOR MASTERTON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The action taken by the Internal Marketing Department to maintain supplies of oranges was mentioned by the Minister of Marketing, Mr Barclay, when replying to notice of a question by Mr Robertson (Government, Masterton). He inquired what arrangements the Government was making for supplies to consumers and whether there was any control of prices to the public, adding that in his electorate recently some retailers were apparently taking advantage of the scarcity of oranges and lemons tc charge exorbitant prices. The department had made the best arrangements possible under the present difficult circumstances for shipments of oranges from the Pacific Islands, said the Minister. The quantity was limited entirely by the amount of shipping space which could be secured. It was also purchasing all oranges available for export from Australia, which was the only other source. The. New Zealand Government had no control over the f.o.b. prices charged by Australia which had advanced by over 50 per cent, in the last two years. The wholesale prices charged to retailers by the department were merely sufficient to cover the higher purchase prices and increased handling charges resulting from war conditions. Retail prices were subject by regulation to maximum margins and on the present wholesale list must not exceed Is 6d to 4s 6d a dozen according to size. The Government was aware that relatively high prices had been ruling for New Zealand home-grown sweet oranges and Meyer lemons, but it exercised no control over the wholesale prices of these fruits, though the retail prices were subject to maximum retail margins above the actual wholesale price charged.