VEGETABLE SHORTAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 February 1939, Page 7

VEGETABLE SHORTAGE

N.Z. SUPPLIES FOR' SYDNEY.

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYEIGHT.]

SYDNEY, February 3.

A fairly large consignment of New Zealand mixed vegetables arrived in the Awatea to-day. Most of the shipment will be marketed to-morrow. and it is certain to find a brisk sale in view of the unprecedented shortage cf green vegetables in the eastern States. Peas, beans, marrows and cabbages are in strong demand at fancy prices. Large hotels, cafes, and hospitals are unable to obtain full supplies, except by cornering the market. Potatoes and onions are also at famine prices, owing to short supply. Three hundred tons of New Zealand onions arrived to-day, and will be marketed to-morrow, thus affording some relief, but far greater consignments are needed to meet the public clamour. Local agents are hoping that New Zealand growers will be able to rise to the occasion for a couple of months and get consumers here out of their trouble. The New Zealand vegetables arrived to-day in excellent condition, being unaffected by the voyage. The current market price for peas is from 10/- to 16/- a bushel, for beans from 14/- to 22/-, for cabbages up to 16/- a dozen, for brown onions £25 to £26 a ton, for white onions £2O, and for potatoes to £22 a ton.