FRUIT CROPS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 3 January 1927, Page 8

FRUIT CROPS

LATE AND SMALL

ADVICE TO JAM-MAKERS.

A lato season and short supplies sums up in a line tho condition! of the fruit market. Those who are in regular touch with tho market declare that the present season is tho slowest for about ten years, this being due to the prolonged spell of wintry weather and the frosts exxperioneod some weeks ago as the yonng fruit were coming on. Fruit which in normal circumstances comes to hand before Christinas is only now being received, and tho smallness of the crops is spelling higher prices. It is said that as the result of the frosts only about 10 per cent, of the usual quantity of fruit from Otago Central may be expected this season, and other districts are affected similarly, though not perhaps to so large an extent. Nelson is having a light season, and Hawkes Bay, while satisfactory in somo districts, is disappointing in others. A light season all round, and an acute shortage of all stone fruits is the general report. - Housewives who defer, buying fruit for jam-making .until the period of greatest plenty and consequent low prices will probably have to pay more this season- than usual, and inquiries go to show that if they dofor too long they may miss the , most favourable time, as the indications are that supplies will not last. . Prices should be most favourable for tho, preserving pan until about three weeks hence. Early plums are in good supply just now, chiefly ironi Hflwkes Bay. and Burbanks are beginning 1 to come to hand. Cherry plumss are practically finished. It is still a little early for the blue diamond plum, the much favoured 3am variety, which should be on the market towards the middle of next month, but at higher prices than usual Greengages should be coming on about the same time. . Peaches are on the market, but, they are scarce, and the same applies to apricots, which have been severely affected by the storms in the South; good quality bevm^ T ,bnil«V lg. Mgb Pri<"«; much beyond the usual rate for January. Ihe Auckland 'strawberry crop this year has been practically a failure, owing to excessive wet weather. A considerable quantity of the fruit being received 111 Wellington is ''poor in col dition, resulting in big losses to the growers. Supplies of gooseberries are ow waning Easpberries, black , cmho hi ? nd n ? thCT small fr «ts are still to be had. Tomatoes are generally light in suppy. Those now being sold are chiefly hothouse grown, and it is not expected that tho outdoor crop wfn be coining to hand in large quantity until about the beginning of March a month later than usual ' Vegetables are plentiful in supply and normal in quality. New potatois are being received steadily, priVcip-llv from the Hutt Valley' and CZ" a* mUf t^' bUti unf^unately alarge