“FAMINE PRICES”

Kaikoura Star, Volume LVI, Issue 93, 26 November 1936, Page 3

“FAMINE PRICES”

SHORTAGE OF ORANGES Supplies of oranges completely inadequate to meet a demand that has increased this year have resulted in an acute shortage on the New Zealand market, and ruling prices for the fruit have reached famine level. The season in South Australia and the Islands has passed, and the shipping strike on the Pacific. Coast has seriously affected the importation of Californian oranges. A very sinal shipment of Jamaican oranges arrived on Monday, but indications are that the prices will be prohibitive for the ordinary consumer, it is expected that they will be marketed at 40/- a case or more, but prob ably 50 per cent, of the wholesalers will not be able to get supplies. Another shipment is due from Jamaica on December 6, at Auckland. The position has never been so acute as at present, the basic reason being the increase in the public demtind. Hospitals have been ordering larger quantities, and the fruit has been playing a more important part in the diets of children. Nelson strawberries are reaching Wellington fairly well now, and a larg*. quantity is being used for jam. The main source for the Wellington stone fruit maiiket is normally Hawkes Bay, but the crop this yqar suffered badly from late frosts. Hothouse tomatoes have been coming from Blenheim, but the Nelson season will be a little late this year. Many of the early tomatoes at the Islands were lost, but one or two fairly large shipments have arrived at Auckland. The return to tomato-grow-ers generally is better this year than last. The prospects for the Nelson apple market are good. Local lemons arc in plentiful supply, most of them coming from northern WELLINGTON BUYERS PAY £3 A CASE WELLINGTON, November 24. Unexpectedly high prices were paid for Jamaican oranges sold at auction in Wellington to-day. The average price was about £3 a case, which means that retail prices will be increased. As no further oranges are due until after Christmas, a further advance is possible. A merchant interviewed, said that in the past. Jamaican oranges had been sold at in fixed price of 27/6 a case, but the latest shipment had been

a small one, aggregating only 20000 cases, of which 800 came to Wellington. The latest shipment of South Australian oranges had also been short, so that the market was not well supplied. In view of the position, merchants had ’decided to put the Jamaican oranges under the hammer. MR SAVAGE GIVES ASSURANCE GOVERNMENT ACTION IF NECESSARY An assurance that steps would bo taken to relieve the orange shortage, if the Government found such ’action necessary, has been given by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage. Mr Savage was told that the situation in Christchurch was so bad that oranges were retailing at 3d and 4d each and that in the South Island the available supply for the next three weeks amounted only to 650 eases a week, compared with the 4000 cases a week available to Christchurch alone when there was no embargo on Australian imports. “It is the first I have heard of any serious shortage,” the Prime Minister remarked. ‘‘But you can take it from me that if there is a shortage of those proportions, and if the people are being deprived of oranges, then we will try to alter it. If there is something the Government, can do to relieve such a shortage it will be done.” Mr Savage would not comment in the meantime on the suggestion from Christchurch buyers that there should be qt least a temporary relaxing of the import restrictions, but he promised that he would sec the Ministers interested immediately. An investigation would be made of the alleged shortage and if the Government agreed that any action was necessary, the requisite stops would be taken,