Kiwifruit a luxury

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 2

Kiwifruit a luxury

What is thought to be a record price in Christchurch for kiwifruit was set at auction yesterday when six trays were sold for an astonishing $28.50 a tray. Kiwifruit is now out of

season and so is not easy to obtain.

Only six trays of the fruit were offered at one market yesterday, and demand was so keen that the price went up to $28.50 for each tray, containing between 35 and 49 kiwifruit — about 70c each. Retail prices will be higher. Shops visited yesterday, however, were not among the six buyers of the fruit.

Grapes are in season, and yesterday Christchurch glasshouse grapes sold for between $6 and $8.40 for a 2.5 kg carton, wlyle muscat grapes, grown outside, were selling for up to $12.60 for a skg carton. The first tamarillos of the season arrived at the markets this week, and sold from $l3 to $2O a half-case, depending on the quality.

Another new arrival on the market floor for the season were musk melons — similar in outward appearance to rock melons but with a glassy, green flesh. .

Both musk melons and rock melons sold yesterday for 40c to 80c each, depending on size.

Stone fruit is still about, though in considerably reduced quantities, compared with a month or so ago. Most of it is coming from Central Otago, and the prices are still reasonable.

Strawberries continue to be plentiful, and sold yesterday at 45c to 90c a punnet.

Cauliflowers, lettuces, and brussels sprouts, which have all been relatively high in price so far this season, yesterday started to drop in price as greater supplies started to come in.

Cauliflowers yesterday sold for $2 to $4 for a bag of eight, compared with $7.30 a week and their present price s the lowest for some time. They have come, from Christchurch, Dunedin, and Oamaru.

Lettuces have also increased markedly in price and yesterday were $3.50 to $5 a case; a week ago they were $8 a case.

Brussels sprouts have also dropped back to a realistic price. Yesterday they were $5 to $7 a bag; a week ago they were $lO.BO a bag. Most other green vegetables, such as courgettes,

celery, brocolli, cabbage, silverbeet, and spinach, are plentiful. Leeks are more plentiful than in past weeks, and sold to $10.20 a bushel case, but better quantities are still expected to come in. Some root vegetables are not as abundant as in previous weeks, although they are still readily available. These include carrots, parsnips, onions, and swedes. Southland swedes in particular are less plentiful at present, mainly because bad weather caused some crop failure this season. Their price remains firm at $6.20 a bag. Onions are cheap at present. A lot of onions from the North Island as well as some from the South Island, have been exported this year to Japan and Europe, which will make them more expensive as local supplies diminish. Pumpkins, both the traditional red pumpkins and the grey crown pumpkins are plentiful at present, and all varieties are cheap. If stored properly they will last most of the winter and will make economical meals for many months.