FRUIT MARKETS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 60, 8 September 1937, Page 8

FRUIT MARKETS

CONDITION OF PRODUCE

The director of the horticulture division of the Department of Agriculture has received the following reports from the fruit inspectors on. the condition of locally-grown fruit and vegetables in Wellington shops and auction rooms, and the market conditions for the month of August, 1937:—

During the month only fair supplies of apples have been offering. Values for choice lines increased slightly compared with those of the previous month. Pears have only been in medium supply, and are realising good prices. Lemons arrived in increased quantities, and' consequently values have fallen considerably. Passion fruit was in short supply, and some very nice lines were marketed. Supplies oi: pears are .sufficient to meet requirements. Some nice quality lines are offering and prices are firm. Steadily increasing quantities of lemons are now coming forward, and prices have eased considerably. Some of the fruit is not receiving the amount of curing it should, and the quality and appearance is -consequently suffering. Much good fruit is available, however, and the demand is good. Ample supplies of poorman oranges have been coming forward. The quality has been rather, variable, the demand somewhat limited, and prices reasonable. Supplies of tomatoes have been very scarce, and any small lots of hot-house fruit have sold at very firm prices. Supplies of New Zealand passion fruit are scarce and prices very; firm. The demand is good. The following list giyes some indication of the prices ruling during the month:—Apples: Delicious, 3s 6d to 10s 6d per case; Jonathan, 3s 6d to 8s 6d; Stunners, 3s to 7s; Statesman, 4s 6d to 7s; Lord Wolseley, 5s to 6s 6d; cookers (various), 4s to 6s. Pears: Dessert varieties, 4s to 5s 6d per halfcase; cooking, 3s to 4s 6d. New Zealand lemons: Choice cured, 15s to 30s per case. New Zealand poormans: 8s 'to 11s 6d. New Zealand passion fruit: 18s to 21s a' box. Tomatoes: Hothouse, Is 4d to Is l<Hd per lb; cauliflowers, 3s 6d to 15s per dozen, according to quality; cabbages, 2s to 6s 6d per dozen; lettuce, 2s to 6s per dozen; celery, 2s to 8s per dozen; root varieties, 9d to 2s per bundle; spinach, Is to 5s 9d per bundle; rhubarb, 6s to 9s per bundle; onions, 4s to 6s per sugar bag; potatoes, 2s 9d to 5s per sugar bag; swedes, 2s to 2s 6d per sugar, bag; potatoes (new season), local 6d to 8d per lb, Nelson 2d to 2Jd per lb. ■ Vegetables, both root arid green, Have been in fair supply. The quality generally has been satisfactory, and good values have been obtained for the majority of lines. The following is a list of prices realised during the month:— Apples; Delicious, choice 9s to 13s per case, others 5s to' 8s; Stunners, choice 17s to 9s 6d, others 4s 6d to 6s; Granny Smith, 6s to 9s 6d; Washingtons, 6s to 9s; Rome Beauty, 6s to 9s; Ballarats, 5s to 7s; Cleopatra, 5s to 6s. Pears: Winter Cole, 6s to 13s per case; Winter Nelis, 6s to 9s; P. Barry, 7s to 9s; Beurre Bosc, 7s to 9s. Lemons: Choice, 10s to 15s per case; others, 5s to 8s; poorman oranges, 4s to 7s per case; passion fruit, 10s to 18s per half-case; tree tomatoes, 6s to 9s per half-case; cauliflowers, 7s to 18s per sack; cabbage. Savoy, 4s to 9s per sack; spring cabbage, 3s to 6s 6d per case; lettuce, 6s to 17s 6d per case; rhubarb, outside grown 8s to 12s ■ per dozen bundles, forced 15s to 20s; spinach, 5s to 18s per case; Brussels sprouts, 8s to 24s per case; carrots, 8s to 12s 6d per case; parsnips, 8s to 14s per case; leeks, 3d to 6d per bunch; pumpkins. 13s to 19s per sack; marrows, 9s to 12s per sack; spring onions, Is to 2s per. bundle; green peas, lOd to Is 2d per lb; new potatoes, 2d to 3d per lb; cucumbers, glasshouse grown, 12s to 18s per dozen; tomatoes, glasshouse grown, lOd to Is 5d per lb; swedes. 2s to 3s per case; potatoes. £10 to £13 per ton; onions, 12s to 15s per cental bag; celery, 8s to 23s per case. Market Gardeners, Ltd., Wellington, announce values of fruit and vegetables sold at yesterday's sales:— Fruit—Apples: Stunners; 7s to 8s 6d per-case; Delicious, 6s to 9s 6d; Washington, 6s 6d to 7s 6d. Lemons, 6s to lOsj hothouse tomatoes, 8d to lOd per lb. Pears: Winter Cole, 3s to 11s 9d; Winter Nelis, 5s to 10s 6d. Vegetables.—Cabbages, Is to Is 6d per case; carrots, 5s to 8s; parsnips, 5s to 9s 9d; swedes, 3s to 4s 7d; spinach, 2s 6d to 6s; lettuce, 3s to 8s 6d; leeks, 3s 6d; cauliflowers, Is 6d to 2s; French beans. Is to Is 2d per lb; kumeras, 8s to 9s per sugar bag. Cauliflowers, 2s 9d to 5s 6d per sack, cabbages, 4s to 7s; pumpkins, 22s 6d; onions, 6s to 12s per cental bag; potatoes, £9 to £13 per ton; Beetroot,'3s to 8s 6d per' doz bunches, leeks, 2s to 6s 6d; turnips, 3s to 4s; rhubarb, 10s to 13s; cucumbers, 12s to 12s 6d per dozen. Prices are quoted by Laery and Co., Ltd., D. Bowie, and Co., Ltd., W. Burbidge and Co., Ltd., Thompson Bros., Ltdi, Townsend and Paul, Ltd., and Geo. Thomas and Co,, Ltd., as follows:— . Apples: Granny Smith, 8s to 10s 6d per'bushel case;- cookers, 6s to 8s; Pelicious, 5s to lls; Stunners, 5s to 11s; Rome Beauty, 7s to 9s 9d. ' Passion fruit, choice, Bs. to. 16s .per i-case. Pears:- Winter Coles, 9s to 13s 6d per 3-case;- Winter Nelis, 6s to 9sJ cookers, 4s to 7s. Lemons: Choice, 9s to 13s 6d per bushel case; others, 5s to Bs. Poprmaii oranges, '5s to 7s1 per bushel; tree tomatoes, 7s to 10s 6d per J-case. Kumeras, -4s to 5s per sugar bag; sprpute, 2s to 5s ,per bag; beans, hothouise,,ls 3id per lb;*new ppjatoes, Nelson, 2*d to 3d.per lb; peas, 7d to Is per; lb; potatoes, 7s to 12s 6d per cwt; pumpkins, 18s to 30s. per sack. Cauliflowers, Is 3d to <te per sack; cabbage, 2s ffd to 6s 6d per? sack; lettuce, choice, 4s to 8s 6d per case; spinach, Is 6d to 6s 6d per case, swedes, 3s 6d to 4s per case; carrots, 5s to 8s per case; parsnips, 6s to 9s per case; beetroot, Is 6a to 2s 6d per case; celery, 3s to 8s per case; leeks, 3d to 5d per bunch; spring cabbage, Is to 2s per case; onions, 4s to 14s per cental bag; rhubarb, 3s to 14s per dozen bunches; walnuts. 6d to 8d per lb. Eggs: A grade, Is 3d per dozen; medium. Is 2d.