GROCERY NOTES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27913, 9 March 1956, Page 15

GROCERY NOTES

OUTLOOK FOR EASTER TRADE GOOD When rates and income taxes have been paid an improvement in the grocery trade can be expected and from now until Easter prospects are a lot better. Stocks of most supplies are still good, particularly of locallymanufactured goods, though some Australian tinned foods are in short supply. Mildura Vine Fruit Prices Increase.— The new season’s quotations from the Commonwealth Dried Vine Fruits Control Board show an increase of £6 a ton on the f.o.b. price for sultanas and currants. In spite of bad weather, the quality of the vine fruits has been good, and this year a far wider range of grades will be available; currants, for instance, range from 1 crown to 4 crown, and sultanas from 1 crown to 5 crown. So far there is no advice when shipments will be made. For raisins, no price has yet been announced. At the present time it would appear that there are good stocks of all three fruits on this market, and prices will not advance until new stocks arrive. North Island Tomato Products.—An Auckland packer this year will have available whole peeled tomatoes in 16oz cans. This line will retail at Is 8d a can. This firm also produces tomato juice in 14oz cans, which will retail at Is 4d a can. This year it appears that crops have been good throughout and good supplies will be available of all brands. Pineapple.—For some time there has been a shortage of Australian pineapple on the local market because of the waterfront strike over there, but the market has been kept going with supplies from Fiji. Advice has been received that the Fijian factory is soon to close. The latest information from Queensland is

that good stocks are being held and all orders can be executed in full. The Kaimanawa is loading at the present time, but all orders for Lyttelton will be transhipped at Wellington. Australian Fruit Calad.—Fruit salad is still not readily available from Australia, and only a small quantity will be ready for the early shipment. Stocks here at the present time are very low and any further supply will oe quickly absorbed. Prunes.—Quotations have been coming to hand for Australian prunes, which were the only prunes available on this market several : ears ago. Today, however, there has been a complete change since Californian prunes are again available. The latest Australian prices are still too high to compete with the Californian.