STONE FRUIT SEASON ENDING

Evening Star, Issue 23527, 16 March 1940, Page 8

STONE FRUIT SEASON ENDING

HEAVY SUPPLIES OF TOMATOES Br*y'Brothers report:—" Locally-grown, milling .wheat is.. nowappearing on the market and is in.gpod ' condition,-and the,-yield,, taking; it all round, 'is ’ proving, satisfactory, 1 The weather" is nowt'on the improve", and threshing should become general in the southern districts. Beat quality fowl wheat is saleable at values up to 6s 6d per bushel, ex the stores. Wholesale prices.are as follows: • Flour: 200’s, £l3 15s 6d; 100’s, £l4 2s 6d; 50’s, £l4 17s 6d; 25’s, £ls 7s 6d. Bran, £5 5s a ton. • Pollard, £6 15s a ton. Oatmeal: 2001 b sacks, £23 10s a ■ ton; 25’s, £25 10s a" ton. ■ Broken weather has affectefi the harvesting of oats south of Dunedin, but north, of this; centre harvesting operations for the'month of February were Ideal: A few lines have been on offer during the week, and values .can V. bo stated "at 4s a bushel on trucks, country sidings for'A Cartons, "with 3s ‘ ■ 10d for B’s; * Heavier grade pats siiitsV able for milling are worth a little more !, v than the prices named above. The nominal values ■ for shipment are 4s f.o.b.s.i. for A Cartons and 3s lOd for B’s. ' The chaff market, in sympathy with that for oats remains firm. Supplies are limited to a few lines from the surrounding districts, with values unchanged. Marlborough merchants are quoting good, bright oaten sheaf chaff at £7 5s a ton for March-April delivery, port of Picton. Potatoes continue in over-supply and sales are difficult to effect. Practically all the tubers offering are of the King Edward variety. Up to the present there has been an entire absence -of blight in the potatoes. There is little indication at the present time of any firming in the market, as, despite the low prices, growers continue to send in heavy consignments.. The ryegrass market remains firm. The Italian ryegrass market is firm. The clover markets are steady at recent rates, but there is an easier tend- . ency for Chewing’s fescue. Interest is fairly well maintained in - the crested dogstail,market. The cocksfoot market is very firm. All the business in this seed is confined to last season’s' cocksfoot, the quality of . which is above that-'of this seasons. At a matter of fact, the new season s - ' • crop is more or less a failure. .The onion market is a little firmer. The local-market is being well supplied from Canterbury, where the crops are reported to he lighter than those of last season. The onion»';are of excellent 1 quality," "and there is a sound con- ... aumptive demand. , . Business in the .fruit markets during the week has been fairly quiet, afad we have>> to report that? the stone , fruit ' aeasohM*.. drawing,itb a-closef . • o Heavier ’supplies of apples nave-been available frfr local distribution, the ~ main-varieties of dessert fruit now con- ; .( listing- of Cox’s orange, of which the; 1 '-"quality "is Cooking’apples. ’have' affair Inquiry and Duma ".T~ pal varieties ■of "cookers now being, ' marketed. , , , Pears- have been in short**, supply. ’Good quality lines are realising satisfactory prices. - Nectarines are almost finished and peaches and plums are now the only Stone fruits coming forward. High ’prices were realised for nectarines.during- the week: The dried fruit works' at. Roxburgh has been absorbing large quantities of 'stone fruits, and this naturally, has had, a tendency to keep Dunedin markets firm. _ . " • Apricots are practically finished for the season. * " Plums are also low in value with, the exception of good quality Purple Kings. Supplies of tomatoes; from Canterbury and Central Otago distripts are still fairly heavy. The quality this season is excellent, but the prices for; most lines must jirove very disappointing to " ’ growers. There has been an entire absence of frost in either Canterbury or . Central Otago. Local factories have ’ now practically their requirements for the season. . Local hothouses are supplying the market with grapes, as ,-is also the Kakapui district. 1 The last shipment ef Jamaican - eranges-has now passed i into the retailers* hands: Picking over had,to bp resorted to by as the waste was above what was at first anticipated. High prices are still ruling for Californian lemons, and sales are on the slow side. - The market is going to be short of bananas for the Easter trade. The next shipment is not expected until the end i of the month. -

Supplies of Jamaican grapefruit are ,now practically cleared from wholesale hands. The quality of the fruit is particularly good. Cucumbers are selling well. Ail classes of vegetables are offering at: very low prices. ■ The egg market remains steady. Btoney is slow of sale. There is little interest being displayed in the cheese market,' Wholesale prices are as follows: Carrots, 6d to Is a dozen. Lettuce, Is to Is 6d a dozen. .Cabbages, Is 6d a'bag; Marrows. 5s a cwt. Onions, 8s 6d a bag. ■ Swedes, Is 6d a bag. Mushrooms, Is to Is 4d a lb. . Cucumbers, 5s 6d to 6s 6d a case. Tomatoes: Outside-grown, 2d to 2id a lb; hothouse (Christchurch), 3d to 4d a lb: hothouse (locals), 4d to 5d a lb. ( Potatoes (locals), 2s to 2« 6d a case Peas, l|d t 6 2d a lb. Peaches, 3d to 4d a lb. Peaches; Latere, 3s 3d to 4s 6d a case;,small, 2s 6d to 3s a case. Pluine: Dessert, 5s to 8s a case; Purple King,; Bid a lb; jam, Is 6d to 2s a case. Raspberries. 10s to 11s a bucket. Nectarines (trays), 6d to 7d a lb; 5s to 8s a case. ■ Greengages, 5s to 8s a half-case. Lemons, Californian, 58s a case. Oranges.. Jamaican, 26s to 32s 6d a case.: ,• ; Bananas. Samoan. 19a 6d a case. Apples, Cox’s Orange. 8s to 9s 6d a case; Dunn’s, 6s to 7s a case.