PRICE OF FRUIT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3013, 26 February 1917, Page 4

PRICE OF FRUIT

THE POSITION IN WELLINGTON. Complaint has been made lately concerning tie high price of fruit, in Wellington during the present season. Consumers have stated that they have been required to pay 6d. and 6d. per pound for pears, plums, and peaches, that the price of apples has remained high, and that tho small fruits, such as gooseberries, cherries, raspberries and strawberries, have not been cheap enough to enoourage jam-making at any stage of the season. It is a fact that pricos of fruit have been rather higher than usual this season, one cause being tho shortago of labour for picking. Many fruit farmers have been unable to get their small fruit picked and the wastage in somo of tho growing districts has been great. But the position has not been as bad as some correspondents havo represented it to be. Good peaches havo been obtainable freely at 3d. per pound by people who were wise enough to choose their day and their market. Tomatoes havo been sold as cheaply as 2b. 6d. per case in the shops, and thoy have been retailed at 3d. per pound in many instances. Strawberries were dear throughout their brief season. But blackberries, brought from tho Hutt Valley, have been sold at 4d. per pound within recent days. Excellent jam plums have beou obtainable at 2d. per pound, a price that scarcely recompenses the grower. Apricots wero in small supply throughout the weeks when they were available. Nectarines have been comparatively plentiful, and they' have been obtainable at 3d. and •Id. per pound. First class oating apples are cheap at the present, time. They can bo bought retail in somo of the city shops at 3d. per pound and the prices per case are lower. Cooking pears have been retailed at 2}d. and the best eating pears at <ld., though some shops have maintained higher prices. The prices nientiprwl above are those quoted in the retail shops. The pricoß in the market liave been much lower on many occasions. There have been days when plums and greengages could be bought in tljg market at almost nominal prices by the case. !A! reporter was informed yesterday that within.' the

last month Japanese plums, biue plums, and tomatoes have been sold at Is. 6d. per case to the canny buyers who search for bargains. Eating apnles of the non-keeping varieties have been obtainable at 2Jd. anu even 2d. per pound.