THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12775, 27 January 1905, Page 6

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

DISAPPOINTING YIELD. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CimtSTCHt'HCH, Thursday. The present season's fruit supply in this district, so far. has been a most unsatisfactory one. The fruit has been late in ripening, most of it is of inferior quality, and the supplies are very short. Prices consequently have been high, and in some instances abnormally so. For this stale of affairs the heavy south-westerly gale which occurred about Christinas time is mainly responsible. The greatest damage was sustained by the smaller fruits. The raspberry crop was not only curtailed as regards bulk, but the fruit itself was severely damaged by the heavy buffeting, much of it turning out quite hard. Even for that inferior fruit as much as 7d per lb has been obtained wholesale. Strawberries, also, have been very scarce just at the time when they were most wanted, and they have fetched wholesale from Is to as much as 2s Id per lb. Peaches and apricots have been spoilt by the weather, and supplies are also very limited. The outdoor crop of tomatoes will turn out short and poor, and rhe demand will have to be met by supplies from the local hothouses and from Nelson and Auckland. Plums, which could be had almost for the asking last, year, will fetch good prices this season. Apples will not be plentiful, and will fetch higher prices. Very small quantities of red and black currants have passed through the hands of the local fruit auctioneers, and those that have been offered for sale have- reached unusually good prices. A leading retail fruiterer expresses the belief that the bad spell of weather previously referred to caused tho loss of thousands of pounds' worth of fruit in Canterbury alone. Wellington, Thursday. The question of subsidising an experimental shipment of fruit to the Home markets is now engaging the attention of the Government. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Thursday. Reports concerning fruit state that* the season has not been an average one, owing to the stormy weather experienced early in the season affecting the crops along the East Coast of the North Island. In the South Island the crops did better. DuNKniN, Thursday. Two small shipments of apples, which arriveci by the Tarawcra from Auckland, were condemned by the Government inspector, being badly infected with codlin moth.