TOMATO CROPS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25160, 16 April 1947, Page 3

TOMATO CROPS

PICKING OF OUTDOOR HARVEST POOR SEASON FOR LOCAL GROWERS The bulk of the crop of outdoor tomatoes in Christchurch is likely to be almost a total loss to growers this seaSo ?s Because of lack of sunshine and cold nights, the tomatoes have been fi p * n Y lng s J° wl y. and growers estimate that less than 25 per cent, of the crop has been harvested. Early in the season the ground was so wet that growers had to hold back their planting, and then the plants had a set-back with nearly a month of cold south-westerly winds. Nearly 1,000,000 new plants had to be put in, but although -the tomatoes set well, they did not come on in March as expected. As a result, only small supplies have been coming into the local market, and growers who normally ship large quantities to Dunedin and Invercargill have had little to send. The ceding price on tomatoes was lifted as from Monday, but growers are unable to take full advantage of the rise in prices. Growers in Horotane Valley believe that most of their crop will have to be ploughed in unless there is an improvement in the weather. One of the leading growers, who sends half a ton to a ton of tomatoes a day to Dunedin and Invercargill, had only a few ripening on his plants at present. Another grower in the Heathcote Valley is sending only 30 cases a week to southern markets instead of his normal quota of 500 cases. Only a limited quantity of green tomatoes could be sold to pickle and sauce manufacturers; and it was not possible, it was stated, to pick all the crop and ripen it in glasshouses. . Sauce manufacturers in Christchurch sought to buy this season about cOO tons of ripe tomatoes, but the opinion among growers is that, in the present season, they would be lucky to have bought 100 tons.

While the local market has been almost bare of outdoor tomatoes, big quantities have been coming from Nelson. Growers there also had a heavy frost at the beginning of December, but they were able to replant. Their crops have been good, and in recent weeks consignments of 30 or 40 tons or more have been sent to Christchurch.