REDUCED SUPPLIES

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21369, 13 March 1941, Page 10

REDUCED SUPPLIES

ORANGES AND BANANAS HURRICANES IN ISLANDS ißv Telegriipli.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday “The hurricanes which recently struck the Pacific Islands may for a short period have an adverse effect on the Dominion’s supplies of oranges and bananas,” said the Minister of Marketing, Hon. J. G. Barclay, in a statement to-night. “Fortunately, so far as oranges are concerned New Zealand is sufficiently close to Australia to keep us supplied for the greater portion of the year. “Normally supplies from December onward come from the western hemisphere, of which the main supplying country is Jamaica. However, at the request of the British Ministry of Food New Zealand has refrained from purchasing oranges from Jamaica. Australia has so far been able to meet this deficiency. Arrangements had been made for an early shipment of Cook Island oranges to arrive toward the end of this month. Unfortunately the recent hurricane has reduced the quantity available by approximately SU per cent. "It is not anticipated there will be any real and prolonged shortage of oranges in New Zealand, although for a week or two supplies may be at a bare minimum,” said the Minister. "A somewhat similar position exists so far as bananas are concerned, although banana plantations have been affected even more seriously than orange groves. This is particularly the case in Rarotonga, one of our main sources of supply. There may, therefore, be some slight dislocation in supplies of bananas in New Zealand until plantations are back to normal production.”