RASPBERRY SUPPLIES

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24150, 8 January 1944, Page 4

RASPBERRY SUPPLIES

CEILING PRICES BLAMED FOR SHORTAGE '

RETAILERS’ PROFITS

“The news item appearing in' ‘IP Press’ on Thursday in reference to dg:, sert raspberries, does not convey wfe correct position,’’ said the presidents the Christchurch 1 . Tomato and Stows Fruitgrowers’ Association (Mr CMj Pope), in a statement given to Press.”

“The alleged shortage of punnets,W*| not affected supplies of dessert iasfi*; berries. The fixing of wholesale calfi* prices of dessert raspberries at lsjJjd a punnet and jam raspberries aM| fid lb make the marketing of dessert grade fruit uneconomic to the growety i because dessert raspberries incur ap*! proximately double the cost, el grading, slower picking, and punhetl are required in producing this grtdf Auctioneers’ charges and cartage aft also an added cost borne by the p$ ducer oh marketed dessert grade, wMfe against this the grower can sell rasp; berries ungraded for jam at Is .6s| lb, ceiling price, direct to the public. “Growers consider that the retailers’ profit on dessert grade out of all proportion when the amount of capital involved, costs of labour, and the many months required in prod|| tion are taken into consideration, “This line of fruit will not be avail* able to the public through the,fixinl of uneconomic ceiling prices.” '■s

RETAILERS’ REPLY TO

CRITICISM

NO UNDUE PROFITS o£|j I RASPBERRIES ,\j|l “I entirely disagree with the all<j|t | tion that the retailer’s profit on .Pi grade raspberries is out of all prop®?l tion,” said the secretary of the Zealand Federation of Retail Fruiter® ■ (Mr S. L. Rogers), when he was asMjfH by a reporter of “The Press" to cofflj 9 ment on a statement by the presio#! of the Christchurch Tomato and Stag! Fruitgrowers’ Association (Mr Pope) about supplies of raspberries ® Christchurch. "The retailer is allowed apprpjg mately 5d a lb profit in the allowed by the Price Tribunal, who art really better judges than Mr Pop* l While retailers sympathise with tM growers in the conditions under WW» they are working at the present tjnft Mr Pope, in tackling the retailer W stead of the Price Tribunal, is setun|| aside the main issue. vtii “On the other hand, referring to j*rt | raspberries, neither the public nor th* | grower should have any exception w | the fixing of ceiling prices, seeing that | retailers in Christchurch are sell®* | this commodity at far less than/ I ®*' price fixed by the Price Tribunal,:®!* tailers to-day could take advantage « the situation and ask the public to 19s a dozen pounds for jam raspbenw* instead of the present price of 13*#?' The shortage of jam raspberries ® Christchurch at present is not due® shortage of labour or to labour prt®J lems, but to the exceptional spell of dry weather. The fruit is not filling.b*t cause of lack of rain. Should tb* weather break, there will be sufficient raspberries in Christchurch to meet a? demands.”