HOPS AND FRUIT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 10 June 1924, Page 5

HOPS AND FRUIT.

THE HOME MARKETS

bt' CABLa-paeaa arhociatiow— ooptbtohi LONDON, June 7. Experts who examined a parcel of Tasmanian haps ex Argyllshire, describe th«n as of fine qaialiiy brewers' hops, of good colour and aroma and excellently dried. The market at present is quiet, but trade 5s expected to revive with, the warmer weather, ©specially as old stocks are practically cleared and no English will be available till mid-September. Si, is estimated that the barrelage. of beer for the United Kingdom for the year will amount to twenty-four millions, and a* the crop of hops in this country will be insufficient to make tOiis qaaaiaiy of "beej^any hops that Tasmania *&ips to the country will be readily jaSbssrfced if the quality is equal to iihe Argyllshire's parcel. The growth of hops ia the United. Kingdom is etill under ceesntrol, and the quality permitted is far fbelow "brewers' jrequiresmeßifc, wifch -the <result that larg'3 quantities of foreign Stops have been imported dblefly !from Oalifo/nia. These. CaEfornians are df far inferior quality to Ta&manians. which are the nearest aippr&aeih. :to ■Keritash ■that have ever been imported. The apple trade in all centres 'semains good, and the prices realised are satisfactory, except for and «ye these are fetching anuch more ■than their intrinsic value when compared iritli dean ifroat. 'The strength of the market in iLeoido.n is probably due io the great number of visitors in town for Wembley and the 'Epsom race meeting; also t&e sbsenee of good soft fruits. So far strawberries very scarce, and t?hougn French cherries are arriving an large quantities their value is unsatisfactory. A feature, -of the apple trade is, t%e d»m«asd for ttard keeping sorts, notably stunners, Vhich are making excellent pricee. Australian dried fruits arc net selling well and the prices realised are unsatisfactory. Currants are q«»ted at 58s to 63s per cwt, with inferior as low as 51s. One of the leading brokers says that the quality shows a great falling <off compared with last season's growth, paving much to be desired as to colour Strti'l condition. Many parcels Tary ra size, the grading being most unsatisfactory- The latest parcels to arrive show a slight improvement, both in quality and condition. So far only commoix' sorts of sultanas have arrived, and are selling at 55s to 625. The outlook for dried fruits generally is not bright. It is estimated that California has a stock of three hundred thousand tons oi" raisins.