LOCAL FOOD PRICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1926, Page 4

LOCAL FOOD PRICES.

FRUIT MORE PLENTIFUL HIPS BMANAS SCARCE. EGOS UP TO 2/ rER DOZEX. The sierra of a weeK ago took heavy toll in the orchards, and consequently windfalls arc a conspicuous feature of the. apple offerings at auction. Really prime dessert are scarce, and good coloured Gravenstoina have been realising from 10/ to l.'i/ per case, and Astrakhans from 7/ to 11/. iiecond grades of each, 2/ii t<) 7/. Good largo cooking apples, .""./ to 0/ii; small 2/ to 4/. A few Williams' Favourite dessert have brought 8/ to 12/. Bon Chretien pears from TTawke's Bay are worth from .*>/ to 0/ for lwst, and 4/ for seconds. Plums arc mom plentiful, but prime quality fat ill command high prices. Angelinas, »/ to 12/ per case; Satsuruae, . r )/ to 8/; Jefferson, ii/ to 7/'; n few Damsons. 5/ to G/li; liurbanks, Sultans and Doris, 3/ to 7 ■'. Peaches, chiefly Carmen, Wigiiins and Paragon, realise from 5/ to 10/. Nectarines have been coming forward freely, but a number of lines are affected with ripe rot. Good sound fruit, 7/ to 8/; others, 3/. Apricots from "Roxburgh have come to hand, some in an over-ripe, condition. Prices rango from 7/ to 13/ per caau. The supply of tomatoes, after an unusually lean period, is now more plentiful, and three weeks later than usual iire being auctioned by the case instead Df by the pound. First quality sold yesterday at 4/0 to 0/U per ISlb case, seconds '1/ to 3/li. Ripe bananas have been scarce this week, but as this week's shipment matures prices should ease. Kepacks brought 25/ to 2S/ per ease yesterday, green 18/ ex phip. rejects 10/0 to Iff/. Lemons, local and Italian, 1:2/ to 17/ per case. Pines, 18/ to £1. Hothouse grapes, 1/0 to 2/0. Oranges are scarce and only medium quality have brought from £1 to £1 f> / per case, and 14/ for seconds. Fiji watermelons, 4/ tv (>/ each. Vegetables. Vegetables have baen fairly plentiful during the week, and the demand moderate. Well graded potatoes have brought from 7/ to 10/0 per cwt, and onions 9/ to 10/. Other prices have been: Cabbages, 3/ to 7/ per sack; green peas, to S-\d per lb; beans, Id to l}d; lettuce, 1/8 to 5/ per case; pumpkins, 10/ to 12/ per cwt; off the bench, Gd to 2/3 each; vegetable marrows, 2/0 to 4/0 per dozen; cucumbers, (id to I/O per dozen; rhubarb, 1/0 to 2/ per dozen bundles; Hubbard squash, Cd to 1/6 each; celery, 1/0 to 2/0 per bundle; carrots, beet, parsnips and turnips, 0d to 1/3 per dozen, lots. Fish. The storm a week ago restricted the supplies of fresh, fish for the time being, but plenty is now available with, the exception of flounders, which are scarce. Whitebait is coming in from Northcote. Retail prices aro: Fresh fillets, schnapper and trevalli, 3d to 4d each; John Dory, 1/ per lb; kingfish, 10d per lb; kippered fillets, 1/ per lb; lemon fish, Bd per lb; roe, 1/C per lb; gurnet, creamfish and mussels, 2/ per dozen; whitebait, 9d per glass; fresh schnapper and trevalli, 6d to 8d each; mullet, 9d to 1/0; flounder, hapuka and kingfish, 1/ per lb; mussels, 1/0 per bottle. Smoked fish: Sclinapper, 10d per lb; roe, 2/ per lb; mullet, 9d; trevalli, 8d; kippers, 8d per pair; silver strip, 9d per lb; crayfish, 10d to 1/ per lb; rabbits, 1/ each. Poultry. There was a good entry of poultry at yesterday's auctions, and a moderate demand at lower rates. Prices realised Were:—Heavy young cockerels, 5/8 to 0/9 each; lighter, 2/ to 3/10; small, 5d to 1/S; heavy liens, 2/0 to 3/0; lighter, 1/11 to 2/3; ducks, old, 1/8 to 1/10; young, prime condition, 3/1 to 5/2. Butter and Eggs. Supplies of eggs are falling off a little and prices have hardened up. At auction hen eggs have, brought from 1/JIJ to 1/10 per dozen; pullets', 1/0; ducks', 1/7 to 1/8. Ketail price ill the shops is 2/ per dozen. Retail prices for butter remained unchanged this week. Superfine factory soils at 1/9 per lb, first grade 1/8, and( eocond grade 1/7 per lb, farmers' make 1/4 to 1/0 per lb. Cheese is quoted 1/2 to 1/4 per lb, and 1/0 for extra choice matured. At the auction marts farmers' butter in pound pats has been bringing 1/2 to 1/3 per lb, and pastry butter lOd. Bacon and Hams. Demand for bcicon and hams continues good. Whole hams are quoted at 1/3 to 1/4 per lb, rashers 1/8 to 1/9, bacon in cuts 10M to 1/5, in rashers 1/5 to 1/7 per lb.