STONE FRUITS

Grey River Argus, 24 December 1943, Page 2

STONE FRUITS

Prices Fixed by Tribunal TO APPLY IMMEDIATELY. " WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. ' To prevent a repetition this season of the abnormally high prices for stone fruits which' ruled last year, is according to a statement by the Price Tribunal the purpose of the order issued to-night, naming the ceiling retail and wholesale prices for apricots, peaches, plums (including greengages),' and raspberries. The control applies immediately for plums, from IDs Id North Island, from 17s Id South Island; for apricots, and from Is Id North Island, from 10s Id South Island, for peaches. For plums, apricots, peaches, the control ends on April 30, 1944. For raspberries the control is applicable from January 1 to February 29, 1944. The statement emphasises that the prices named are “ceilings" only, for wholesale prices and should be reached only if the supply is short. If the retailer pays wholesale prices below the limits named then the retail prices must be lower than the retail limits set out in the order, because of the provision that the retailers’ price may not exceed the cost plus forty, per'cent." For dessert grade apricots the retail maximums are one shilling per pound in the Wellington metropolitan area, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Marlborough, Westland; Is Id for the remainder of the Wellington aistrict and Taranaki; Is 2d for Auckland; 9?M for Canterbury, and 9d for Otago and Southland. ■ Specially, selected dessert fruit 2d per pound dearer, and ungraded led to 2d cheaper. Dessert peaches 94d per pound in Hawke’s Bay, Otago, Southland, Canterbury, Nelson and Marlborough; Is at Wellington, Taranaki, Westland; Is Did at Auckland. For plums everywhere retail limits are* to be 9d per pound. For dessert plumbs Is per lb for specially selected dessers and 6J- per lb for ungraded. For raspberries/ retail limits tor less than two pounds of fruit in punnets or other containers are at the rate of 2s 2d per lb. # For larger quantities, for example in buckets, the limit is Is 7id per lb. No extra retail charge may be made for containers under a two-pound size. The grading provisions of the order, merely reflect existing voluntary grading as practised by many growers. Retailers must placard their fruit prominently with the price per lb and the grade.