DEARER TEA.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 170, 18 July 1919, Page 7

DEARER TEA.

0- • SENSATIONAL RISE IN THE EAST. >S Advice by cable points to higher prices ?' ruling for tea. The market in Colombo (has advanced one penny per pound, but ["'from Calcutta comes the news that tea i I there has risen twopence to fourpence j j per lb, so that it is quite probable that °, the market in Colombo will advance in proportion. The cable also notifies that n . exchange has advanced to 1/9, whereas T, prior to the former rise in rates the •c rupee was worth 1/4*. As far as China „ teas are concerned, the price is prohibi- '„ tive on account of the enormous increase er in the conversion rate for silver curjjg rency in that country. _, It is difficult, of course, to state to L what extent these advances will affect retail prices for tea in New Zealand, but as wholesale houses are at present holding very light stocks on spot, it is quite on the cards that the future minimum cost of tea over the counter will be x- about 3/ per pound. A certain amount x- of tea for New Zealand has been heia le- tip in Sydney on account of the etnke, and this fact accounts for the Ugh" st stocks at present held ln the Dominion, at Some lines of cocoa are in short - supply, but a fair quantity of cocoa essence has just been landed, and it « iv understood that a good deal of cocoa is coming forward, so that if tea becomes >v too dear, then the other drink can b° ag used in families. -.0 ■