MARKET CHAOS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 193, 17 August 1942, Page 5

MARKET CHAOS

NEW PRODUCE PRICES

AUCTIONEERS' DILEMMA

Conditions which were described by some produce auctioneers, growers and retail greengrocers as "chaotic" and by others as "stupid" existed ;it ihn city markets this morning when business was conducted witli the new ceiling prices for certain classes of vegetables With intense competition for the lower priced produce, merchants and their staffs round it impossible to allocate K 1 io<ls fairly, while much extra labour was entailed in selling the produce by weight instead of by the bag.

Last week buyers were paying as high as .'!. V a cvvt for choice pumpkins, the maximum price this morning under the new fixed schedule being 21/. One effect was to bring into the market many small buyers who previously could not afford to pay the dearer prices. The net result, was wild clamouring for the vegetables available, even at the maximum prices, and the auctioneers on most floors were hard pressed to deal with the position. " Selling a Horse " In an ofTort to be as fair as possible under the circumstances one auctioneer, instead of the usual "What's the bid for this, gentlemen?'' introduced a game of chance known to the initiated as "selling a horse." Public house habitues knowit as a s.\ stem in which one man in a party makes a note of a number and invites his companions to guess it. The man nominating the correct number or nearest to it usually pays for the drinks and keeps the change in the case of selling vegetables today the buyer calling the successful number got the goods. "It's a racket!" "Pure favouritism!" "They .>ught to be shot!" These and similar expressions were bandied about the auction room by dozens of disappointed prospective purchasers, while the auctioneers strove valiantly to institute some makeshift rationing system. Actually it was impossible to make any fair allocation, and in any case organised rationing is most difficult with perishable goods. "Rubbish" Sent Forward

"Much of the stuff sent in was absolute rubbish," commented one merchant, adding that it was clear that under the new system the good grower, who took a pride in his product because of the premium it formerly commanded over inferior lines, was going to be penalised. For instance, he said, there was now no need for growers to wash and grade carrots because the most they could get for them was 21/ a cwt. Men •who had been specialising in late pumpkins of good quality would be eliminated from the market.

He contended that the growers should have been told six months ago that fixed maximum prices would be imposed on their produce; they would then have acted accordingly, but under existing conditions they would be heavy losers. There was no incentive for them now to cultivate fancy lines and grade carefully.

"There Is no doubt that the best carrots and kumaras were worth double the maximum price at which we could sell this morning," was the remark of another merchant. "I doubt whether the growers will take this lying down." Shortage of labour had been a growing problem at the city markets, he «aicl, but it had been greatly increased by the necessity to weigh carrots, turnips and tFle other crops now the subject of controlled prices. Previously bench loads of produce were cleared by the bag or by the dozen. The only alternative was for the merchants to take a chance and sell loosely by the dozen, weighing afterwards.

Inquiries show that the majority of retail greengrocers are ignoring the price order applying ,to retail vegetables until existing stocks, purchased last week at much higher prices, are exhausted. Among merchants the consensus of opinion is that the fixed rates will result in a lowering of the standard of vegetables, and an inequitable method of distribution.