Prices Of Fruit And Vegetables

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31588, 27 January 1968, Page 12

Prices Of Fruit And Vegetables

Sir,—My association is in full accord with the statement on the marketing of lemons in this area by Mr B. C. Clark, general manager of the Citrus Marketing Authority, and considers that his explanation of the general procedure will clear up much public misunderstanding. Mr Clark, however, did not enumerate the many charges between grower and retailer which consist of: cartage to packing house, cost of container and packing, loss on sale of rejects, cartage from packing house to rail, railage to southern markets, cartage from railway to markets, and auctioneers’ commission. These add up to quite a large sum, but we would like to state that auctioneers’ commission is only 10 per cent on the sale price of the fruit plus a small payment for repacking where this is necessary. Unfortunately, in the case of lemons this is frequent because the bulk of New Zealand lemons are grown in areas of high rainfall and in general are not of good keeping quality.— Yours, etc., J. B. TAYLOR, Secretary, Christchurch Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers’ Association. January 26,1968.

Sir,—The general manager of the Apple and Pear Board tells "Pensioner” that fruit has been auctioned "at the request of the Merchants Federation and Retailers Association, so that every retailer has the opportunity of participating in the purchase of limited supplies available.” I can assure Mr Waller that most retailers regard the auction of apples as cheap entertainment, they know the auctioneers* bids are not genuine, and he performs more like a clown at a circus. I would like to remind readers of statements appearing in “The Press” about six months ago I quote Mr Fuller, president of the Retailers’ Association: “Because fruiterers were prohibited from buying apples directly from the orchards, the public were forced to pay exorbitant prices in fruit shops.”—Yours, etc.,

F. R. MILLER. January 26, 1968.

Sir, The correspondent writing a detailed and irrefutable resume on the exorbitant prices of the, above commodities, shares * with many other consumers the consternation at the Government’s inability and unwillingness to apply what is termed “unjustified interference” in private enterprise. A Labour Government years ago established a Prices Tribunal, which for a while was effective, but ways and means were soon found to render the tribunal ineffective. The main protest was the stereotyped cry of “Increased costs.” Had the correct “costs” been plaited into prices without the “plus” taeked on for “luck,” consumers may have had less justification for criticism and comment. The factors which determine “increased

costs” and prices are wider than generally accepted.— Yours, etc., D.H.C. January 24, 1968.

Sir, —Replying to my letter dated January 11, Mr D. L. Waller states that by January 11 only 600 cases of apples had been available for sale in Canterbury areas but prices were expected to drop within a week dr 10 days as heavier supplies of Gravensteins became available. Gravenstein apples were being auctioned' in the market yesterday at approximately $3 per case but the price in the shops I visited varied from 20c to 22c per lb. Is it not time that something in the nature of price control was introduced to reduce such exorbitant profit margins for these and other fruits?— Yqurs, etc., PENSIONER. January 25, 1968.

Sir,—l have for many years been a reader of your paper and, with the exception of your correspondence section, I might be termed a satisfied reader. Is it not possible for you to raise the standard of this column so that we might be spared the absolute “piffle” inflicted on us by W. R. Miller. Will Mr Miller state where he got his information from about employees bidding up prices at auction sales and more particularly about free oranges? As a market employee I will be in trouble with my wife over the orange issue. Do let us hear from you, Mr Miller.— Yours, etc., RED LIGHT. January 25, 1968. [This correspondence is now closed.—Ed., “The Press.”]