Plentiful supplies mean a drop in prices

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 2

Plentiful supplies mean a drop in prices

In a bumper season for fruit and vegetables, quality matched quantity at Christchurch produce markets this week.

Ideal growing conditions have resulted in an oversupply of some vegetables, and consequently, prices have eased considerably*. One of the best buys this week was drumhead cabbage with retail prices as low as 39c for a big cabbage. Market prices ranged between 80c and $l.BO a bag. Cabbage need not be the “dull necessary” on the dinner plates and with a little imagination it can provide variety in a meal. Advantage should be taken of the cheap prices and at this time of the year it can still be enjoyed in lighter dishes, such as coleslaws, or in hearty winter dishes. Pumpkins were also plentiful and cheap and it would be worth while buying a few, turning them into soup or pumpkin pie, and freezing them. Crown or Grey pumpkins sold for $2 to $6 a bag and 15c a kilogram, and red pumpkins were $1 to $1.50 a bag and 5c a kilogram.

Good supplies of buttercups were available for up to $5 a bag and butternuts from Nelson fetched $6 to $8 a bag. Cauliflowers were plentiful, the best lines selling to $5 a bag, as were carrots at $1.50 to $3.50 a bag.

Corn was fully supplied but quality varied and were priced accordingly. The best were to 13c a cob. Southland swedes were available at $3 to $5 a bag, as were Brussels sprouts, from Oamaru, at $8 to $9 a bag. Kumera from Motueka and Dargaville fetched $8 to $l5 a carton, and courgettes met a good demand at $3 to $lO a half-case. Broccoli varied in quality and was priced between $2 and $6 a case.

A full range of potato varieties were available including Ham Hardy, at $1.50 to $2 a bag, Chippewa, $2.50 a bag, and Rua to $2.50 a bag. Silverbeet was plentiful and sold to $6 a case, as were mushrooms, at $7.50 to $11.20 a tray, and tomatoes, at $2 to $5 a half-case for outdoor tomatoes, and to $8 for the new season hothouse tomatoes. Onions, radishes, spring onions, and spinach were

also plentiful. Only limited supplies of stone-fruit are now available and these include Golden Queen peaches, at $4 to $6 a case, and plums at $l2 to $lB a case. Limited supplies of berryfruits were still available also but prices have increased in recent weeks. Yesterday raspberries fetched to $l2 a tray and strawberries were $9 to $12.50 a tray. Both were for trays of 12 punnets. Good supplies of feijoas, kiwifruit, and passionfruit came forward this week and prices eased slightly on last week. Today’s recipe CABBAGE CHOWDER 300 g wedge cabbage 1 onion 1 stick celery 1 medium carrot butter or oil for frying 4 tblspn tomato puree 3 cups boiling water 2 tblspn rice salt and pepper Method:Finely slice the cabbage. Peel and chop onion, celery, and carrot. In a saucepan, heat a little butter or oil. Cook all vegetables in this for six to eight minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomato puree and boiling water. Bring to the boil. Stir in the rice. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste. Serves four.