IN GOOD SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 114, 9 February 1944, Page 4

IN GOOD SUPPLY

Fruit And Vegetables On Wellington Markets

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL PRICE LEVELS

With slightly bigger supplies reaching the Wellington markets, stone fruits are easing in wholesale price, though the ’best grades still fetch ceiling rates, specially dessert .apricots. The increase in supplies is reflected more in the greater range: of sales below the ceiling price than in any easing of the higher price level. Last week almost any line of apricots branded dessert were sold without bid'ding, the contention between buyers 'being/not in price but in obtaining an allotment of the available supplies at ceiling price. Sound fruit in oilier grades brought prices close to ceiling. Yesterday, however, only the best dessert lines fetched the ceiling price of 12/6 a ease, with poorer but sound grades as low as 7/6 and 8/- a case.

The demand for peaches so far has not been as keen as for apricots, and even last week the 12/6 wholesale ceiling was very seldom attained. Yesterday the best lines did not fetch above 10/- a case, with the majority selling from 8/- down to 6/-. Nectarines, which for the most part are reaching the auction in very green condition, are bringing 6/- or 7/a case, with riper and better fruit In short supply and fetching un to 9/- and 10/-. Tomato Market Harder. Tomatoes, which last week were reaching the wholesale markets in rather full supply with consequent cheapness, are not this week, so far as it has gone, quite so plentiful, and prices have risen a little. Full 20lb. cases, which were fetching as low as 3/- and 4/- last week-, werebringing a shilling or so more yesterday. but prices may sag again before the week ends. , Apples are still in short supply, and sell at the fixed prices, as are pears, of which a few lines of William’s Bon Chretien are now-beginning-to come forward. In some lines of vegetables the supplies coming forward are more than buyers can comfortably absorb. At the weekend the complete supply of beans could not be quitted, and yesterday low prices still held. are in good supply and banana-ease lots, containing about 25 to the ease, could be bought yesterday for 3/-. Marrow and pumpkin are in full supply and fetching low prices. Peas, cabbage, and cauliflower could all be obtained yesterday at prices advantageous to buyers. . Commenting yesterday on the position of ,sfpne fruit, an auctioneer said that one of the greatest difficulties to be contended with under the ceiling price system was the marked variation of quality packed bv growers in a grade. Some dessert apricots, peaches and nectarines were reaching the market in hard green condition. Such fruit, he said, would never attain the juicy ripeness that other lines, arriving nearly r’pe. would possess by the time they reached retailers. Growers’ policy in packing such green fruit might, he said, be due to a feeling that transport delays might seriously affect riper packed fruit and cause it to reach auctioneers over-ripe and unsaleable. Retail Prices. Prices to the public remain on the higher levels. Apricots in Wellington shons yesterday -were marked from Bd. to 1/2 per lb., according to quality, for sound fruit. Peaches were offering at from 6d. to 1/-. Tomatoes for table use were being sold from 6d. to 1(M. per lb., with cookers and sauce lines cheaper. Lettuces were marked 2d., 4d., 6d., and. Bd. each, and cabbages sold at price order level. Runner beans were marked 6d. per lb., with stringing varieties at Sd.