STRAWBERRY CROP.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 2

STRAWBERRY CROP.

HIGH PRICES AT AUCKLAND.

The end of the strawberry season is lookod for to-day, when practically tlie last of the local crop -will be offered tor sale at the City Markets (says Iriday s Auckland "Herald"). Wholesale dealers in strawberries consider that the production of fruit this season has fallen short of the output last year, when the crop was considered to be only averagely good. However, throughout the season just ending prices have been exceptionally high, ranging from 10a to 2s 2id per chip for ordinary varieties, while Dukes, Laxtons, and other choice varieties at times went well over these figures. The season "was late in starting, mainly owing to the extrpmely cold nights experienced at tlie time when the first fruit should havo been ready for picking, and this delayed the marketing of the berries fully two weeks m some areas and three weeks in a * ew* other places. This season is looked 1 upon as a record one as far as prices are concerned, for it is that such high values have never previously been maintained for the whole seasonOctober to the middle of, January. Tlie maintenance of high prices throughout the ■whole season is attributable largely | to the abnormal demand for strawberries caused by the absence from the market of American apples and Island and Sydney fruit. The value _of ther season s crop is placed approximately at froih £16,000 to £20,000. Most of the strawberries grown in and' around Auckland have teen consumed locally. ■ Some years ago thousands of crates, suitable for iam-inak-ing, were sent away, but this season the supply has been so limited that the local demand could not be met. and only a few crates have been despatched by rail. Last year the weekly average of jam strawberries reaching the markets was about 70 crates, but this year the average lias been about five. It is considered that this shortage lias had! a tendency, to harden the prices for first-class strawberries.