AT THE MARTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 162, 11 July 1930, Page 4

AT THE MARTS.

EGGS NOT PLENTIFUL GREEN PEAS ARRIVE. BANANAS AGAIN DEAR. Delicious apples showed a slight improvement in values for two or three days, but eased again to-day. Pears are still dull of sale. Hothouse tomatoes are a little firmer at present. Bananas, too, atter bein" easier during the week, fanned up again to-day, jlore Hothouse tomatoes are offering, and the price has dropped. There was a shipment of citrus fruit from Sydney on Tuesday, consisting, ot mandarins, "passions, oranges, grapes and pines. The mandarins were m poor condition and sold from 4/ to 12/ a case, the oranges from 10/ to 13/. Pmes fetched from 12/ to 16/, and the passions, in bushel cases, from 10/ to 16/. The grape cargo was in a wasty condition, and realised only 11/ to 12/ a case. Prices are: — Apples: Delicious, ex cooler, 4/6 to 7/; Ballarats, 6/6 to 7/9; Stunners, 6/ to 8/; Grannie Smith, 6/ to 9/; Dougherty, 4/6 j to 6/6; Salome, 5/6 to 6/6; Yates, 4/ to 6/. Pears: Coles, 5/ to 8/6; Ifelis, 6/ to 9/; P Barry, 4/ to 6/; Beurre Diel, 4/ to 4/6. Tomatoes: Hothouse, 6d to 10d lb; outdoor, 4/ to 11/3 case. Passions: 4/ to 10/6. Lemons: Choice, 12/ to 17/; others, 6/ to 9/. Grapefruit: Special counts, 9/ to. 10/6; others, 6/ to S/. Poorman oranges: Large, 7/ to 7/9; small, 4/ to 5/6. Tree tomatoes: 3/ to 5/6; dark variety. 5/ to 7/. Oranges: Australian, 10/ to 13/; Island, according to count, 11/ to 15/. Bananas: Repacked, ripe, 18/ to 26/. Vegetables Plentiful. Citron melons are almost finished at the marts. Large quantities of lettuce are available, but the • quality is poor, lhe market is still very heavily supplied with cabbage, cauliflower and'celery. A few more new potatoes are appearing, but quantities are not great as yet. ( A small parcel of green peas came to hand, and realised the fancy price of 15/3 per peck. i Ruling values are:— Potatoes, Southern, 6/6 to 7/ cwt; new, 2d to 3%d lb; onions, 5/6 to 7/ cwt; kumaras, local, 3/6 to 5/ bag; Tauranga, 7/ to 9/ cwt; cabbage, 3/ to 9/ sack; cauliflower, 3/ to 10/ sack; swedes, 1/ to 1/9 bag; pumpkins, 3/ to 7/ cwt; citron melcTns, 14/ cwt; beans, hothouse, 1/ to 1/4 lb; lettuce, l/'6 to 5/6 case; cucumbers, hothouse, 3/ to 5/6 dozen; vegetable marrows, 1/6 to 2/6 dozen; cabbage, on benches, 2/ to 4/6 dozen; cauliflower, on benches, 2/6 to S/ dozen; celery, 6d to 2/6 bundle; rhubarb, 3/ to 4/6 dozen; spinach, 1/ to 1/3 dozen; pumpkins, on benches, 9d to 1/6' each; radish, 3d to 6d dozen; j spring onions, 3d to 1/3 bundle; carrots, parsnips, beet and turnips. 9d to 1/6 dozen; leeks, 3d to 6d bundle; chokos, 1/ to 2/ dozen. Egg Prices Steady. Though prices are steady, eggs are not plentiful. Pullets are not laying as well as the time of the year would indicate. One large Auckland dealer collects only 100 eggs daily from a flock of 1300 pullets. One egg from 13 fowls is a poor percentage. Poultry farmers blame cold weather for the poor laying. The season has been unusual right from the dry spell back in March. From the second week in June there is generally a marked increase in the supply of eggs coming in for sale. This year there was no such increase. The number of eggs was larger for a while, then it fell back again, and supplies have been irregular ever since. Conditions as to supplies eeem to have been the sanief all over New Zealand, though in the past 10 days Southern dealers state that they have been receiving more eggs, despite colder weather in the South. Current prices for first-class hen eggs are: —Special grade, 2/4 dozen; A grade, 2/2; B grade, 2/; C grade, 1/6. Duck eggs: Special grade, 2/3 dozen; A grade, 2/1; B grade, 1/11; C grade, 1/8. . Farmers' butter is selling from lid to 1/1 a lb. Poultry. At to-day's auctions the supply of poultry' was medium, and the demand was keen. The" prices paid remain level. J Selling rates were as follow: — Cockerels: Heavy breeds, prune 6/6 'to 7/6, not prime 3/6 up; light breeds, prime 4/ to i>l, not prime 2/ up. Fat roosters: Heavy breeds, prime, 3/3 to -4/3; light breeds, 3/ to 4/. Fat hens: Heavy breeds, 3/6 to 4/3; light breeds, 2/6' to 3/3. Pullets: Heavy breeds, best 4/ to 6/6, smaller 2/6 up; light breeds, best 4/ to 6/6, smaller 2/ up. Drakes: Young, prime 3/ to 4/, smaller 2/6 up; old, 2/ to 3/. Ducks: Young, 3/ to 4/; old, 2/ to 3/. Geese: 4/6 to 6/. Turkey hens: 6/ to 10/. Gobblers: 10/ to 18/6; guinea fowls, 4/ to 5/.