DEAR VEGETABLES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 36, 6 November 1917, Page 6

DEAR VEGETABLES

THE CONSUMERS' COMPLAINT

ABOUT POTATOES AND ONIONS

"A number of housekeepers would be very greatly obliged if you could enlighten them as to tho reason for the price of potatoes and other vegetables," writes a correspondent to The Dominion. "Tako potatoes first: For sume weeks past the market price, according to the daily newspapers, has been from i's to .JCS 10s. per ton. These are mentioned as best whites, and presumably aro those sold in Chinese arid other vegetable shops. Tako new j potatoes at an average price of Gd. per lb. (they run from sd. to Sd. according to size), and tho price mounts up lo ,£6O per ton. Tnka the old potatoes at Iho average of ljd. per lb., and tho price is .615 per ton. Now, who gets tho intermediate price between that paid at the market and that paid over the counter? Is there no profiteering in this deal? "With regard to other vegetables. There are from threo to four dozen lettuces in a sack. Theso cost at proseut 6s. to 7s. per eack. They are sold at sd. to 6d. each, though some of the smaller, inferior kinds are sold at less than that. A eplendid margin for the seller! Carrots and turnips of a. very moderate eize are being sold at three for 2d. Apples are selling at 3d. each, except when Sd. per lb., and then they are a little more. To an ordinary person on a small income, cauliflowers are prohibitive, thoso at 10d. and Is. ueing of quite medium size, while cabbages aro not much better. Onions have been Is. 4d. !per lb., and tho size of the bunches of spring onions lessens as the price goes steadily up. Considering that vegetable food is 60 necessary to preserve the health of the nation, it eeems a terrible thing that vegetables should bo beyond the reach of tho average purse, as at present. If there is any kind of solid and tangible reason for these prices we should be glad to know."

A Dominion roporter, who mudo inquiries on this subject, found that the position was not quite eo bad as the correspondent had painted it, although the' prices of many vegetables in Wellington certainly are high in comparison with the prices paid in other parts of New Zealand. The housewife who wants to buy as cheaply as possible must buy intelligently, of course, and she may have to eschew the-usn of the delivery cart, though this is not always tho case. Prime old potatoes were selling in many shops yesterday at 121b. for a shilling, but they were to be bought cheaper by ttie sack or half-sack delivered. The wholesale price was averaging about £5 10s. per ton, and tho margin between tliis price and the retail price (Id. per lb. is equivalent to about ,£!) a ton) was not regarded as abnormal in the trade. Tho margin has to cover storage, cartage, wastage, etc., in addition to tho retailer's profit. The retailer usually has a big rent to pay, because the public penalises by neglect the fruit and vegetable Sealer who neglects to make a good display of his perishable stock-in-trftde. , New potatoes at this timo of year are a luxury, and tho prices asked within iecent weeks have been, more or less fancy prices. But excellent new potatoes were to be bought in tho city yesterday at 3d. and Id. per lb. Green peas were being offered at 3d. per lb., and 51b. for Is. French beans aro just coming in, and they command a fancy pneo. They were retailed yesterday at Is. and Is. 2d. per lb. Carrots, turnips, and parsnips have been dear) this year, and the reporter was informed that the causo appeared to be a shortage of suppnes, duo probably to lack of labour. Tho production of vegetables requires a great deal of labour, and the war has made inroads into the ranks of tho white marfeet garSeners. "In fact," said one dealer yesterday, "we will 1)9 trusting to the Chinamen altogether for our vegetables i? many more of tho white gardeners are taken." ... „. t Good lettuces were costing from 3d. to sd. In '•various shops yesterday. Lettuces are a very perishable product, and aTe difficult: to handle The best lettuces aro taken fo the shops direct in cases. Ino lettuces that come through the markets in sa'eTcs are likely to suffer a great deal, especially at this time of the voar, when the firm "hearts" are not fully developed. One shopkeeper Bald He disliked handling lettuces, since he could not rely upon a steady demand. "There is so much wastage between the market and the consumer that a very big maTgin over the wholesale price is necessary if wo nre to get. any profit at all," ho Eaid. "Lettuces come in with b. rush at sometimes of the year, and thf shop price falls then to as low as Id. or ljd. each. There is not much in that for grower, merchant, or retailer." Onions have been in a special position. The Now Zealand home-grown supply ran out, as it usually does, and the shipping striko prevented the usual importations from Australia taking place. Onions for a week or two commanded luxury prices, rising as high as If 6d. per lb. in some shops. But since then supplies have reached Wellington fiom Australia and America, and the present retail price, is 6d. per lb. The shortage of onions seems to have meted on,the spring onion crop, by stimulating, , the demand and causing the grower to reduco tho size of the familiar penny bundle in some cases.

Can the price of vegetables in Wellington be reduced by any means? The rnporler nut this question to several dealers without getting much information on tho suCject. The market gardeners want increased returns, not reduced returns, if they are to extend their operations and provide the additional quantities of vegetables that the city could conRnme. But then the producers ar« receivin? only small prices already. Probably the truth of the matter is that there are too many hands and ton many profits between the nroduwr and ilie consumer. A municipal market might nelii by bringing tl'e woducors into direct connection with" tl<» consumers, or at least with the retailers, but it does not nnwnr the producer can undertake the marketi"? of his own produce nndor nrosent conditions. He is short of labour already, and tlw> merchant a'<d aunTTo"°er arc offering him services that he needs.