IN THE MARKETS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 74, 4 April 1910, Page 8

IN THE MARKETS.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

HEAVY BANANA SUPPLIES

(Evening Pest, Saturday.)

The outstanding feature of the Allen Street fruit and vegetable markets to-day is the steamer Navua's shipment of bananas. The line comprised 5500 cases and 3809 bunches of this fruit, and a parcel of 47 cases of Fiji mandarins. For green bananas there was good competition, but much of the fruit arrived damaged or overripe, as the "running" cases in the mart showed. Taken altogether, retailers' requirements were exceeded, although the market was bare. The fruit brought from 3s to 7s 6d a case, but green bunches sold well, and where the packing was good shippers should have no cause to quarrel with the returns. The mart was full this morning, and loaded vans had to wait in the street until room was made for the incoming supplies, chiefly bananas, by the clearance of other fruits by especially quick sale. The auctioneers had an exceedingly busy time of it. The apple market is weak, heavy supplies coming in from all quarters. Choice dessert varieties, such as Cox's orange pippin and Jonathans, brought to-day from 7s to 8s a case, and large dessert from 4s to ss; cookers, 2s 6d to 4s, according to sample. For pears the market has been, and still is, extremely favourable Later varieties have been fetching good prices, Marie Louise, autumn Nelis, and winter Coles being in request at 7s 6d to 9s 6d a case. Medium to inferior sorts sold to-day at from 5s to 6s 6d, and cookers 4s to 5s 6d. Peaches are scarce, and big money was paid for any choice dessert sorts/ some bringing up to 6s per half-case. Late plums were wanted to-day at 3s to 4s 6d per half-case. Hutt hothouse grapes brought from 6d to Is 3d per Ib, and some exceedingly fine fruit was shown. Australian—both Sydney and Adelaide— I are in short supply, and prices at the | end of the week ruled high—up to 14s and 16s per case of 361b. | Lemons were very scarce, the de- ! mand being met by Messina, which brought up to 25s a case. ! Locally-grown water-melons went to-day for from Is to 8s a dozen, according to size. Passion fruit being scarce, the local varieties commanded reasonably good prices. Cape gooseberries were wanted, and tomatoes showed substantial improvement on recent absurdly low rates, in consequence of the shortening supplies coming to hand.

The vegetable market was fairly well supplied with French beans—3s 6d to 5s 6d per 401b, old and stringy bringing Is 6d to 2s for a like quantity. Cabbages, which were good of their kind, brought 2s 6d to 3s 6d a sack; carrots 3s 6d a sack, parsnips 4s a sack. Onions realised £4 to £5 per ton, according to quality. Cauliflowers were very scarce, bringing up to 9s a sack for the* best. Marrows ranged from Is to Is lOd per sack. Lettuces were disposed of at Is 6d a case. Best Up-to-date and other high-class table potatoes brought from £5 to £6 5s per ton, while Blenheims and inferiors were sold at from £3 to £5 per ton on sample.