Sugar Price Drop Causing Concern

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30471, 19 June 1964, Page 15

Sugar Price Drop Causing Concern

[By Our Grocery Reporter]

The high price of sugar in New Zealand is causing serious concern to the grocery trade now that the price of raw sugar on the world market has dropped to £46 a ton.

A drop in price seems inevitable if the raw sugar price remains at its present level, but if any decrease is made the trade is hoping that it will be made in a reasonable manner.

The Government is, at present, paying off a deficiency in the sugar fund, but when

this is met a price reduction may be made. It will be remembered the panic when prices went up and this was followed by a deluge of cost increases on many hundreds of locallymanufactured items ranging from sauces to canned fruit. Grocers now have large stocks of these commodities and a sudden decrease could be detrimental to trading. T«a.—Political unrest in Ceylon has upsef its export tea market. The Industry has gone from bad to worse and it may be taken over by the State. This unrest has given other tea growers an excellent opportunity to gain a footing in the New Zealand market. One bt these is the Congo and the quality of its tea offered is believed to be good. Electric Light Globes.—As from the end of June .electric lamps will be packaged with each wattage having a different colour and a strip with the number. For some years lamps have been packed in the same coloured cylindrical wrapper and both grocer and consumer have had difficulty In identi-’ fying the wattage. It will take several weeks for the changeover which will be a progressive step

Toilet Soap Price Up.—Most brands of toilet soap increased in price this week—a surprise to most in the grocery trade. The increase is Id for both sizes and in future the standard will retail at 9d and the super bath at Is 2d.

Pudding Dessert.—A new. easily made pudding is now being marketed under the brand of Fla-va-tru and its name is Creme/.O'-Rice. It has a vanilla flavour and the Ingredients contain glucose. Its retail price is expected to be 2s 8d a lOoz packet.

Peanut Kernels.— Earlier indications this year that the South African peanut crop was not good have been borne out by a later report that no peanuts will be available for shipment until November and then only a small quantity. Importers should take advantage of this. Desiccated Coconut.— Delayed shipments from Tonga and elsewhere has put desiccated coconut in short supply on the local market. However, the “Tarawera" has discharged coconut at Lyttelton and this will be foUowed by the "Crusader” with a shipment of Philippine coconut. Both shipments will alleviate any shortage.