PRICE OF FRUIT AND EGGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 39, 15 February 1941, Page 10

PRICE OF FRUIT AND EGGS

(To the Editor.) Sir, — I should be pleased if you could give me some information as to why fruit is so dear at the present time. Apples, pears, plums, etc., are all about 6d per lb in the shops. At the market, apples, both cooking and dessert, cost at least 10s a case; on inquiry re the reason, the agent informs me that the Government is holding back the supply, and that in Hastings there is more fruit in cool store than can be properly stored. A fortnight ago, prices at the Auckland market were: Cooking apples, 3s to 4s a case; dessert apples. 5s to 10s. Why the difference in price for Wellington? Surely it is time the Government realised that it is wiser to let the public have fruit at a reasonable price than to have it eventually dumped.— I am, etc., APPLE A DAY. [Inquiries have been made by "the Post" and the following is the official reply: "The season for all fruit is later this year, and apples are at present in fairly short supply. Auction prices in Wellington range from 8s to 11s for dessert and cookers, and in Auckland, where supplies»are rather more plentiful, from 5s to 10s for dessert and 3s to 5s for cookers. No fruit has been held back in cool store. As supplies come to hand more freely within the next week or.fortnight prices will correspondingly drop."}