FIRST STRAWBERRIES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 109, 4 November 1925, Page 6

FIRST STRAWBERRIES

ARRIVE IN AUCKLAND

FOR WELLINGTON MARKET

FRUIT PROSPECTS FOR THE

SEASON,

An interesting statement with, regard to the fruit prospects for Wellington during the next two or three months was made by the manager of one of the leading fruit-auctioneering, firms in the course of an interview with a ''Post" representative to-day.

"I see," said our reporter, "that the first strawberries to reach Wellington this season came from Auckland by the midday express on Monday. There were only a few, and the first grade fetched 3s 6d a.chip or punnet retail, the interior grade bringing 25." "That is so," was the reply. "We have four crates, of 16 punnets each, arriving frpm Auckland this morning. I have just been speaking to Auckland over the 'phone, asking them what they are going-to do this year in regard to strawberries; and I was advised that, to all appearances, they will have plenty of fruit with which to supply this market t"his year. Alwayg provided, of course, that our market shows them a commensurate' return as compared with the Auckland market. "The next thing that comes in is the gooseberry. They are already here; and so far- as we can learn from 1 the Hutt, where the bulk of the gooseberries come from for the, local market, the supplies will be,quite up to those which came to hand last year. ...'.' •

TOMATOES FROM RAROTONGA

"Tomatoes at the present time are arriving in fortnightly shipments from Rarotdhga; and advices have been received from the Islands to the effect that patches ; previously abandoned are : now showing fair crops. Supplies from this particular quarter, however, will decrease ' from how on, and the Nelson fruit will begin to arrive during the next few' weeks. Hotjiouse-grown tomatoes from the Lower- Hntt have been Belling in the local market fofcsome weeks past.

; "Otago, of course,: is going to supply the. apricqtsfor^'this, market this year., The manager for the people who handle the bulk of this fruit was in Wellington this .week, and he indicatcd'that quantities at .least equal to those received last year will arrive in due course. We do not'get apricots usually until December. , ;

.'fin,' regard to apples, I may say that fail- quantities of the locally grown fruit are still.held in the various . cold stores, while ..the ; American apples are now' malting their appearance on the New Zealand markets Advices to, hand point .to about the same quantity of the American fruit being available this year as last.'

CITRUS FRUITS

"Beally there is no other fruit to talk about this year.: I have, just been over in Australia for a couple of months; and the position there is that the great bulk of the Australian citrous fruit is now controlled" by the various growers' associations.; The quality under their present: grading system 1 shows a decided improvement; but they have difficulty in exporting to-a market like New Zealaiidi':''b"e'-' cause bur regulations' to prevent the introduction of 'fruit diseases' are ; rather' stringent. That holds'- shipments up; to a certain extent.- It simply means that the-fruit exported to New Zealand has to be 1 of the highest possible, grade, and if ices are correspondingly high. For use.over there, you or I'could probably buy oranges in the Melbourne or Sydney markets for about 4s a case; but for New Zealand, owing to our regulations, 12s to 14s is the ruling value.., .''':■

N.Z. APPLES BEAT TASMANIAN

"I compared the Tasmanian - apple with the New Zealand apple while I was there; and we have got thenv beaten to a frazzle; What I, saw: there suggested to me that Tasmania; is doing >the same as New. Zealand, attaching more importance to the ex-; port trade than the local market, and that accounts to a. great extent 'for the large quantity of poor ■ fruit that will.'always be sent to the .various; local; markets. "Whiles I was ml Sydney;l a ship .arrived with, 10,000 to: 12;000 bbxes of Tasmanian apples/ and they were stuck there because the quality was no good. ; " .:

RAIN NEEDED FOR RHUBARB

■ '•(}£. the favnarite fruit-vegetable rhubarb —some people will call it ; a fruit and some call it • a vegetable, you know, but call it a fruit-vege: table-^there will be just as much,under cultivation, this "year as last year; and', provided we get a „ little drop of rain during the next fortnight a plontiful■.supply, is assured. I don't know whether you have been in a rhubarb field'when it rains. You see, rhubarb has such a large leaf,"and the rain hits it all round, and makes such a din—like rain on a corrugated iron roof—that you can hardly hear "yourself speak. Bhubarb is' just.'like the orange—-a great ' drinker; and it is also" a. gross feeder, requiring plenty of manure. The rhubarb is now in buds on the 'crowns,' or roots, ready to start; and all that is wanted is a drop of. rain: ,to'send it away. The supplies, coming iii so far have been equal to the usual at this time ofi y?ar, anil prospects are good for the season. .'■•' . .'•..'

"As to banana?, a boat got into Auckland yesterday with 20,000 odd cases from Fiji, and they are in excellent demand. A quantity of piiioapple3 were on the same steamer. The "Wellington market has just handled a shipment of 'bananas from Earotonga, also at good figures. The supply of. bananas here has been very good this year. Some 4500 cases came from Barotonga on the last boat, and' from Fiji too they are . coming iii well. ■'. ' ■ .