Shipment of bananas arrives over-ripe

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33455, 9 February 1974, Page 12

Shipment of bananas arrives over-ripe

Nine thousand cases of Tongan bananas which arrived at Lyttelton on Wednesday in the Island trader Frysna in an over-ripe condition are being auctioned in Christchurch for as little as 40c a case.

The shipment was.supposed; jto supply the entire South H I Island but is being auctioned ;■ ■in Christchurch as it is un- . iloaded from the Frysna. A|i ! spokesman for Market Gardeners, Ltd, said yester-. J day that his company had so I far received 3000 cases for ! auction. I On Wednesday, prices had been down to 40c a case, the i spokesman said, but on! iThursday and yesterday,! (prices had firmed to about! I $3 a case. Some bananas had! Ibeen “virtually melting,” they!, were so ripe, and a number 'of cases had been unsaleable., i Mr B. Porter, of Fruit; Distributors, Ltd. said yesterday that the Frysna had been scheduled to call at WellingIton to unload bananas, but; 'plans had changed. The ship had arrived at ! Lyttelton on Wednesday — a public holiday — and unloading had not started until (Thursday morning. Mr Porter was unable to; Isay how many cases had; (been dumped, or how the; (bananas came to be over-i (ripe. Unloading would be finished by today, he said, 'and these bananas would' ! have to be held until Monday; i for auction; by then he would; iknow the number of cases! i dumped. i

Tongan bananas were selling in Christchurch shops 'yesterday for as little as 7c ia lb — half the maximum (allowable retail price of 15c la lb.