SHORTAGE OF ORANGES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21974, 24 December 1936, Page 12

SHORTAGE OF ORANGES

SUPPLIES SAID TO BE NEARLY EXHAUSTED FIXATION OF PRICES CRITICISED Christchurch fruit retailers anticipate that there will be a further shortage of oranges during the Christmas and New Year holidays, according to reports received yesterday from prominent retailers in the city. Mr J. H. Seymour, a retailer, said when interviewed that there was a big demand for oranges, and it was probable that there would be another shortage within the next few days. Only small portions of the quota of 12,000 cases of Australian oranges had reached Christchurch, and these were already practically sold out. Mr Seymour also commented on the fixation of prices by the Government. The way the prices had been fixed was all right, he said, if the retailers were able to obtain a large enough supply to ensure a big turnover and if the percentage of bad fruit in each case was small. At the present time, however., the limited supplies made it impossible for retailers to have a large turnover of the fruit, and there were as many as a dozen to 20 bad oranges in each case, which made it impossible for the retailer to make a reasonable profit. It had been stated recently, said Mr ■Seymour, that there was only 1 per cent, of less through bad fruit in each case, but this was not so, as in most cases there were 12 or more bad oranges. Mr Seymour also criticised the unequal grading of the Australian fruit. Sometimes in the one case, he stated, there were to be found much smaller oranges than the average size, which could not be retailed at the price , stipulated by the Government, but had to be sold at a cheaper rate.