FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Evening Star, Issue 15685, 26 December 1914, Page 10

FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Messrs Henry F. Moss. Ltd., fruit and produce merchant*, report for the week ended 'Thursday : Unsatisfactory weather and backward fruit crops have been responsible for very light supplies of all fruits for Christmas trade, but nevertheless the. market has Wen fairly well supplied. Tho shortage of American oranges, which havo been a hre-ad-ajtd-biittcr line, is greatly felt, while apple* are scarcer at present than they have been for years at this time of the year. Strawberries are in very short supply, but wmi> Kaikorai-gr-own fruit is comin';: into the, market and realising good prices. Cherry plums aw in large supply, and " are meeting with excellent in.quuy all round. Tomatoes are fairly" plentiful, and crops point in tho direction of being good this reason. Another week or ten days will see. the first, arrival., of the stone fruits. .Already fomo 1 <each.es have, tome forwatxl and realised excellent rates. Oranges. —A shipment is du<e to arrive »<\ Wyandotte about Ist January, and will ••■•11 at about 20s per case. Apples.—Practically finished. Choice American dessert-, 15s to 16s per case; <>ver-sise fruit from 10s to lis. Currants. —Red and black, 3jd per lb. Raspberries.—First of the se;:,-on, 5-Jd per lb. Strawberries.—Market irregular; 10jd per pottle for choice: S.i to 9A.1 f<<r ordinary. (.'herries.—Choice Otago Con tral-grown. Is Id per lb. To-da\'c value is nominally t.M to lOd per lb. Tomatoes.—Choice Christchurch hot-hoiisu-grown. Is per lb; Nelson hothouse, i if.-, 10*1; green, 9* to lis 6d per 241b box. Hums.—Early varieties, 7s 6d to 8s 6d per box. tcrapes. Local hothouse, 2.-- 6d per lb. Lemons. —A further shipment of Italian is duo nest, week, 20s to 23s per case, f.o.b. tor 180's. Bananas.—The first- -shipment coming forward will reach a bare mark-'t. Ripe fruit, 2id per lb. lYaehcs.- —Some 201 b boxes came forward from Nelson and realised from os M to 9s per lb. Rhubarb, 2d per !b Green Peas. —Good demand. 3d to 3'ci. New Potatoes.—Choice Auckland-grown. ■M per lb; local. 2W to 3d. Cauliflowers, 6s r>| per sack f'->r best, 4s f <r fair quality. Cabbages, 2s 3d per sack. 'J'hrt-.* have Ueu more plentiful. Giain.—Business that is pa.--L-in.; ;.<■ purely hand to mouth, as supplies arv very Laid to procure. Chaff seems to be much tinner, while good table potatoes are much harder :<> get. Oats, wheat, and barley are in very short supply, and the same may be said of clover hay, which, is alm>=t unprocurable. ( iiatf.—Prime black oat, £5 5s per ton : uhite oat. £4 15s; medium quality, £3 5s to £3 T.h 6d per ton. Straw.—A fair quantity of this arrived ■ lining tho week, and the market is now slightiy easier. Oaten. 40s t<> 35= per ton ; ■iviieaten, 35.-. Feed barley, 4s 3d to 4* M per bushs-I. Clover Hay.--Nice green lines. £4 10s I er ton. Ryegrass hay. £3 10s jvr ton. Oats. —Good inquirv. A Cartons and Spanwbilb, 2s 10d per bushel : Li's, 2s 9d; Danish and Algerians. 2s 9J; Duns. Onions.—The market for these is bare. We had a line of new Melbourne'..-., which arrived in splendid condition, .tnd realised from 15s to 16s per cut. Potatoes.—Old potatoes are practically finished, and it is very difficult indeed to .secure any'thing in the way of good quality. Thtw are from £6 to £7"pcr ton. There, aro pood supplies of new ones arriving, from Auckland, and those, arc realising 2d per ib. Poultry.—Prime young fat- ducks, up to 5* 6d per pair: fair quality. ss: roosters, 4s, 64 to 4s 9d ; medium qtialitv, 3s to 4s • hens, plump, up to 4s per pair: turkevs. lldjier lh tor cocks, 8d for hens. Eggs.—These, are in short supply and in good demand, and prices have, advanced considerably. Guaranteed stamped are worth Is 6d to 1-s 7<l per dozen ; ordinary i; i: ,e(}. 2.s 3d to Is 6d. Butter.—Bulk, lOd to 10'< I p. r n, ■ pats. 9d to 9Jd per lb. Honey.—Bulk from 3d to 3id per lb: j!<j pats, 2s per dozen ; ]lb pats 4*. 61 per ih /.cv.: 101b tins, 4s per tin.