SCARCITY OF FRUIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19608, 9 April 1927, Page 13

SCARCITY OF FRUIT.

BANANAS AND ORANGES.

RISE IN MARKET PRICES. There is a shortage of several popular lines of fruit at the Auckland city markets. It is difficult' to account for the scarcity, which is causing some concern among both wholesalers and retailers. Supplies of Cox's orange pippin, the best grade of appie, aire beginning to fall off and other varieties are coming forward less freely. In contrast to apples, pears are fairly plentiful, most classes showing a marked decline in price this week. Winter Cole and Winter Nelis pears are now making their appearance and a few cases were s>old at the markets yesterday. These new arrivals are influencing the sales of Packham's Triumph and Louis Bon, the best pears for immediate consumption. Owing to the large percentage of Packham's Triumph, which deteriorated when ripening, _ buyers are becoming somewhat prejudiced against this particular line. j Bananas will be very scarce until some time after Easter, when the next Island boat will arrive. Since the last importations, whicli were small, prices for bananas have fluctuated, but lately they have shown a distinct rising • tendency. Yesterday bananas were quoted at 26s to 30s a case. Only a small quantity of quinces has reached the market this week and the season, which has been a poor one, is now practically over. They realised from lis a bushel upwards yesterday. '