MARKET CONDITIONS OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 117, 13 November 1926, Page 11

MARKET CONDITIONS OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

Tho Director of tho Horticulture* Division ha 3 received tho following reports from the fruit inspector^ on tho conditiou of locallygrown fruit and vegetables in shops and auction rooms, and the market conditions for the month of October, 1920 :—

Wellington.—Apples are still ccming to hand in large quantities. The majority of tha fruit has been of poor quality, and a fair supply of black spot fruit was also marketed. Pears were in short supply, but those received were of . good quality. Vegetables were received In large quantities. The' following is a fair Average of tho prices realised:—- Apples: Delicious, 7s 6d to fls per case; Stunners, 6s to 7s 6d per case; Dougherty, 5s 6d to 8s per case; cookers, 5s to 9s per case. Pears: Winter Nells, 15s to 17s per case;' Josephines, 13s per case. Cauliflowers, 10s to 18s per sack; cabbage, 2s to 3s per sack; parsnips, 18s to 22s per sack; carrots, 14s to 18s per sack; new potatoes, 2%d per lb; green peas. 3s U)d to Cs per peck; asparagus, Is to Is 3d per bundle; cucumbers, 6d to 9d cacli.

Christchurch. —Both cauliflower and cabbage are still coming forward in large quantities, and prices are very low. Celery Is now finished. There is a good demand for carrots, parsnips, and beet. Supplies being limited, prices are good. Local onions are now practically finished. Lettuce and spring onions are in good. supply; the demand Is good and prices fair. Blmbarb and asparagus are also In good supply, and prices for these are quite satisfactory to the grower. Local new potatoes are coming forward In small quantities, and prices remain firm. The markets are at present oversupplied with old potatoes, and prices are very low. Fair supplies of local tomatoes are available, and prices aro steady witU a fair demand. There are still large supplies of both local and Nelson Stunners coming to hand ex cool store, and although there is a fair demand, prices show little or no improvement from those of last month. Small consignments of pears are Btlll coming forward ex. cool store, and these are meeting with a good demand, and are realising good prices. The following list gives a' fair indication of the average prices realised during tha month:—Apples: Nelson, 8s to 9s pur case; local, 9s to 10s per case; cooking, 0s 6d per case. Pears: Cooking, 2d to 3d per lb; dessert, 3M>d to 4d per lb. Tomatoes, dessert, 2s to 2s 3d per lb; walnuts, 104 to Is per lb; asparagus, 9<l to Is per bundle.; best, 2s 6d per bundle; cabbages, spring, 3s to 4s per dozen; cauliflowers, 2s to 4s per dozen; carrots. Is 6d per dozen; cucumbers, hothouse. Is Id per lb; celery, 6d to 8d per bundle; green peas, 4s to 6s per peck; leeks, 2d to -4d per bundle; lettuce. Is to 4s per dozen; new potatoes, 8d to Is per lb; potatoes, North Island, 2d to 3d per lb; potatoes, 7a to 8s per sack: parsnips, 3s per dozen; radishes, 6d to' Is dozen; rhubarb, 4s to 7s 6d per dozen; spring onions, 6d to Is per dozen; turnips, Is M per dozen; spinach, la per dozen ,\ swedes, 2s 6d per sugar bag.

Dunedin.—The apple market continues to be over-supplied with small and inferior fruit, which is hard to sell. The markets are carrying fairly hoavy stocks of this quality, and prices ruling are very low. Choice fruit find* ,a good Bale.' The principal dessert varieties offering are Stunner, Rokewood, and Tasraa. Small consignments of pears have been arriving from Canterbury district, and opened up in fair condition for this period of season, and were readily sold. Small quantities of new season hothouse-grown tomatoes have been j coming forward from Canterbury district, and from local hothouses. The prices obtained hare been very high.. Asparagus has, been in great demand. Early in the month, when supplies were medium, prices wcro high. Later la the month supplies increased and prices ruled accordingly. New season potatoes have been coming forward from the Hutt and Auckland districts. About the, middle of the month, when small quantities were coming forward, prices ruled very high. Later in the month eupplies considerably increased, and prices ruled accordingly. Green peas, locally "grown, have been coming forward in small quantities towards the end of the month, and prices obtained were high. Hothouse-grown cucumbers have been in medium supply, and met an excellent demand. <

There is not space to quote the Dunedin price list, but it is worth noting—in view of the Wellington and Cbrlstchurch quotations of new potatoes, and)the Dunedin report thereon —that new potatoes sold in Dunedin at 3d to 3Ud per lb at the beginning of the month, and l?id to 2d at the end of the month/