LOCAL FOOD PRICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1927, Page 4

LOCAL FOOD PRICES.

ABUNDANCE OF VEGETABLES. POTATOES ."A 808 A BAG." BUT FRUIT STILL DEAR. The auction marts have been loaded up with potatoes this week, and brokers have hard work to sell them at rates that are considered reasonable to growers, quality, of course, varies considerably, and this must be borne in mind in noting the current market quotation of 1/ to 4/ per sugar bag. Also the market is glutted with onions and cucumbers, and these have been going cheaply. Fruit still maintains exceptionally high rates, and eggs maintain their recent advance. Fresh Jish is plentiful in most lines.

Poultry feeders apparently lioped to reap a profitable harvest in connection with the Royal visit and rushed their table birds in to the mart to-day, but they over-estimated the demand, and prices eased somewhat.

Fruit. During the past week there have been fair supplies of apples, but the quantities of really prime quality have been limited, and for these values remain high. Windfalls and inferior sorts, on the other hand, are hard to sell. Paragon peaches are almost finished, and best quality have brought high prices. Tomatoes have receded in value during the past few days. The market was temporarily glutted with over-ripe bananas and prices fell, but have again advanced. Oranges are scarce, but those on offer are of fine quality and command a ready sale at high rates. Local lemons are plentiful, and vendors have to be content with small returns. Selling rates have been:—Apples: Gravenstein, extra choice, coloured, 8/ to 12/ per case; others, 4/ to 6/6; Scarlet Permain, choice, 8/ to 10/; others, 3/ to 6/; Willie Sharpe, 4/ to 5/6; Munro, 5/6 to 6/6; cookers, 4/ to 6/6. Pears: Bon Chretien, 6/ to 9/; Fertility, 4/ to 6/; Clairgoose, 4/6 to 6/. Tomatoes, 3/ to 5/6 per case;; extra choice smooth, 6/ to 8/. Lemons, 4/ to 10/. Plums: Satsuma, 7/ to 10/; Doris, 10/ to 14/; other plums, 6/ to 9/. Hothouse grapes, 1/ to 1/9 per lb. Bananas, 18/ to 22/ per case. American oranges, 50/ to 52/; Australian, 32/ to 35/. Cape gooseberries, 7d per lb. Paragon peaches, extra choice, coloured, 12/ to 14/; others, 6/ to 9/.

Too Many Potatoes. Potatoes arriving at the marts this week have been much in excess of requirements, and this has also been the case with onions and cucumbers. Prices for these lines have been low in consequence. Kumaras are coming to hand more freely and sell well. Selling rates have been: — Potatoes, 1/ to 4/ per sugar bag, according to quality. Onions, 5/ to 6/3 per cwt; cabbages (heavy supply), 1/ to 4/ per sack; kumaras, 2d to 2%d per lb; pumpkins, 4/ to 8/ per cwt; swedes, 2/ to 2/6 per bag; peas, 3/ to 7/6 per bag; beans, 1/ to 3/6; pickling onions, 134 d to 2%d per lb; lettuce, 1/ to 3/6 per case; cucumbers (market glutted), 3d to 1/ per dozen; mArrows, 1/6 to 2/6 per dozen; rhubarb, 1/6 to 2/ per dozen; bundles celery, 6d to 2/6 per bundle; carrots, parsnips, beet and turnips, 6d to 1/ per dozen lots. Not Much Hapuka.

There has been a good supply of fresh fi6h during the present week with the exception or hapuka, which is still scarce. Babbits have been fairly plentiful. Retail prices are as follow: —Fresh fillets, schnapper, terakihi, and trevalli, 3d to 4d each; John Dory, 1/ per lb; kingfish, lOd per lb; kippered fillets, 1/ per lb; lemon fish, 8d per lb; gurnard, cream fish, and mussels, 2/ per dozen, in bottles 1/6; fresh schnapper and trevalli, 6d and 8d each; mullet, 9d to 1/6; hapuka and kingfish, 8d per lb; flounder, 4d to 1/0; Canadian salmon, 2/ per lb; Sydney prawns, 2/6 lb; smoked fish, schnapper lOd per lb, mullet lOd, trevalli 9d, kippers 9d per pair, silver strip Bd. per lb, crayfish lOd to 1/ per lb; rabbits, 1/ each.

Eggs. The supply of eggs to the auction marts has kept up very well during the present week, and the demand has been moderate. Selling rates have been: Heu eggs, 2/1 to 2/3, ducks, 2/ to 2/1%. The retail price to-day was 2/4 per dozen. Butter and Cheese. At the auction marts this week there has been a fair supply of farmers' butter in lb pats. This has realised from lid to 1/1 per lb, with inferior going at 9d. Retail farmers' butter is quoted at 1/2 to 1/4 per lb, superfine factory sells retail at 1/7 per lb, cash across the counter, first grade 1/6, and second grade 1/5. Cheese is quoted at 1/2 to 1/4 per lb, and 1/6 for extra choice matured. Hams and Bacon. Retail prices for whole hams are 1/3 to 1/4 per lb, and rashers 1/8 to 1/9. Bacon in cuts Bells from 9%d to 1/5 per lb, and rashers 1/4 to 1/6. Plenty of Poultry.

There were very heavy supplies of poultry at to-day's auction sales, and although the demand was keen, vendors had to accept a reduction in their returns. Selling rates were:—Prime cockerels, heavy breeds, 5/2 to 6/4 each; lighter, 3/6 to 4/6; fat roosters, heavy 2/6 to 3/, light 1/6 to 2/; fat hens, heavy breeds 2/6 to 3/6, light 2/ to 2/4; young drakes, 2/9 to 3/6; small, 2/ to 2/6; old ducks and drakes, 2/ to 2/10; young ducks, 4/ to 5/; pullets, White Leghorns, 5/3 to 7/3.