Produce scene Fruit and vegetables meet demand

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 2

Produce scene Fruit and vegetables meet demand

! Copious supplies of fruit and vegetables at the markets on Tuesday satisfied a strong demand from retailers, whose stocks were generally low after the shop assistants’ strike on Thursday and Friday, and the Queen's Birthday week-end. Increased quantities of sub-tropical fruit have been on the market floors. Tamarillos are selling for $3 to $7 a half-case, and are goodquality fruit in spite of their generally blotchy skins.

Satsuma mandarins are plentiful at the moment and are selling for $3 to $6 a case. High-grade kiwi fruit is also abundant and is selling for $4 to $8 a half-case. The fruit are generally large and well formed. Feijoas are still selling for $2 to $3 a trav.

High freight costs are having an effect on the availability of sub-tropical fruit from Kerikeri and the Bay of Plenty. There is an increasing tendency to send full waggons of fruit at special rates. This means that there are big influxes of fruit at different times.

On Wednesday, the markets sold Tongan produce brought by the Kemphaan. Taros ($8 to $lO a case), yams ($6 to $9 a case), watermelons (45c kg), sugar cane, coconuts and drinking nuts were readily available. The first fruit from California arrived at the markets during the week and sold for high prices. Nectarines cost $14.10 a tray and cherries. $35 a case. I

Marmalade oranges are at their cheapest now — selling at $4 a bushel case — and there are also good sup-

plies of Ecuadorean bananas this week and next week.

Some vegetable lines were cheaper this week in spite of the wet weather. Cabbages are selling for $1.20 to $1.50 a bag and cauliflowers are down to between $1.50 to $2.80 a bag, with kumaras ($3.50 to $8 a bag), brussel sprouts ($2.50 to $3.50), and silverbeet (80c to $1.60) also bringing less for the growers than last week. Continual rain has had some effect on some root crops. There were less carrots and parsnips in the markets yesterday and prices rose 'accordingly. Carrots sold for $3 to $4.70 a bag and parsnips cost $3 to $3.30. Potato prices also firmed iup slightly yesterday, al-

though it is still a buyers’' market. The 11am Hardy variety, said to be the best for chipping, roasting, and mashing, cost between 80c and $1 a bag and Chippewas, which are considered good boiling potatoes, sold for 51.20 to $2. Tomato prices varied according to where they were grown. Locally grown tomatoes cost $4 to $7 for a skg carton, while Auckland tomatoes generally sold for $8 to $9 a 7kg carton. Mushrooms are plentiful yet prices remain firm. Buttons sold for $4.50 to $6.40 a tray while open mushrooms cost $7.40 to $8 a tray.

Lettuce prices were down from last week at $1.40 to $2.40 for cases of eight to 12. Crown pumpkins cost $2 to $7 a bag, red pumpkins 50c to $2 a bag, while butternuts ranged from 50c to $5.50c for cases and bags. Onions went for $1.50 to $4.50 a bag, while the dearer pickling onions cost between $4 and $5 a bag.

Avocadoes are almost finished now and the few courgettes available went for up to s3kg. Rhubarb was also in short supply.