Dwindling supplies of jam fruit

Press, 22 February 1980, Page 2

Dwindling supplies of jam fruit

Fruit for jam is still available in the Christchurch produce markets, although the peak season for some vanities has passed. Stone fruit from Central Otago and Nelson is still available. During the week the cheaper lines of apricots were selling a£ between $4 and $6, although $4.50 was being paid for half cases yesterday. Golden Queen, Mary s Choice, and . Kalamazoo peaches are coming to hand and some supplies are selling at jam prices. Cases weighing about 9kg~ sold between $3.80 and $5.50. Nectarines were plentiful earlier in the week, but supplies had thinned by yesterday. Prices ranged from $3 to $lO, with the jam fruit at ■the lower end of the scale. Plums for were not available in quantity, and the season for Billingtons’ is almost finished. Dessert Slums sold fcr $8 to $lO a <g case. Few varieties of berry fruits were available. Strawberries from Nelson and local areas are coming into their second crop, but supplies are not expected to be as plentiful as earlier in the season. Punnets sold from 70c to $l.lO each. Berry-fruit farms in Christchurch freeze fruit in I.skg and 3kg packs so that they can be matched with the sugar packs when making jam. Prices are fairly uniform, and vary . little throughout the season. Frozen strawberries, boysenberries, raspberries, and blackcurrants are available at the gate, also fresh blackberries, which are at the peak of their season, and a ew strawberries. Vegetables are still plentiful. At the moment, Christ-

church is probably the cheapest centre in New Zealand ..for new potatoes. As greater supplies come to hand, prices are decreasing, and yesterday morning bags of about 22kg' sold between $2.50 to $4. New season’s onions are also dropping in price, with Nelson supplies selling at

about $3 a bag. The best of the local onions sold for about $4.50. Pumpkins, cabbages, and corn were plentiful, with pumpkins slightly cheaper. Prices for cauliflowers varied according to quality. Half-cases of good quality broccoli from local areas, weighing up to skg sold for $2.50 to $4. yesterday. Excellent quality courgettes were also available. Salad vegetables were in good supply. Top quality lettuces sold for $1 .to $2 a case, and cucumbers from Nelson and local areas realised 15c to 20c each. Good supplies of local celery made slightly cheaper prices.

Tomatoes from Nelson and local areas are slowly firming and the top price in one of the markets yesterday was $3.80 for a 4.5 kg carton. This week’s recipe PEACH JAM 3kg peaches 2kg sugar 2 cups water Method: Remove stones from peaches and weigh. Put into preserving pan and cook slowly until fruit is pulped. Add sugar and bring to boil. Boil rapidly for about 20 minutes. Test for setting.