THE CITY MARKETS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22193, 21 August 1935, Page 7

THE CITY MARKETS

GLUT OF TOMATOES BANANAS FROM FIJI There was a chit of Island tomatoes at the City Markets yesterday, the rates being the lowest on record. The largest shipment of Island tomatoes ever landed in New Zealand was brought by the Maungaruii, which arrived at Wellington on Monday. The shipment, which was loaded at Rarotonga, comprised over 17,000 cases, with a result that the markets throughout the Dominion are over-supplied. The fruit sold at from 3s to 3s 9d a case, and it is expected that after all charges have been met both growers and importers will make no profit. The next shipment of Island tomatoes will ajrive in about a fortnight. There was a fairly good demand for most other lines of fruit, althoueh lemons and local grapefruit were hard to soil. A temporary shortago of bananas was relieved by a shipment from Fiji, which arrived by the Waipahi yesterday afternoon. Apples were in good demand, and choice tree tomatoes realised high prices.

Heavy supplies of pumpkins were still available, while cabbages and cauliflower were also plentiful. There were good supplies of kumaras and new potatoes, which realised from Id to a pound. Fair supplies of celery sold at recent rates. Supplies of poultry were medium and the demand was keen for table birds. Prices remained unaltered. Values were:—

FRUIT Apples, "Winesnps, 7s 6c! to 9s a case; Dougherty, 5s to 7s; Delicious. 6s to 9s; Stuimers, 6s to 8s 6d: Granny Smith, 7s to 9s; Munro, 6s to 7s 6d; Ballarats, 6s to 7a fid: pears, Coles and Nell's, 5-cnsofl, " 8 to 8s 6d; bushels, 8s to 10?; oranges, South Australian, 16s to 225; Island, 13s to 18s; lemons, cured, 5s to 6s: others, 3s to 4s; mandarins, half-cases. 6s to 9s; grapefruit. New Zealand, large, 5s to t>s; small. 2s 6d to 4s; Californian, 335; tomatoes, Island, 3s to 4s a case; hothouse. 4d to 8d per lb: bananas, 18s to 25s a case; tree tomatoes, black, 8b to 10s; red. 3s to 9s; pines. Oi-einsland, 16s to 18s: coconuts, 14s a sack. FIELD PRODUCE Potatoes, local, 4s to 5s a bag; Southern. 9a 6d to 10s fid a cwt.; new potatoes. Id to 2Jd a lb: swedes, 2s to 3a a t l >ig; onions, Californian, 21s a bag; local, 10s to lis; kumaras, 4s to ss; cabbages. 2s to 9s a flack; on benches. Gd to 2s a dozen; cauliflowers. Is fid to 3s a sack: on benches, 6d to 2s a dozen; pumpkins, 2s to '3s a cwt.; cucumbers, 4s to 5s 6d a dozen: carrots, 5d to 9d: parsnips, 9d to la 3d: beet, 6d to 9d: turnips, Sd to Is; radish. Gd: spring onions. 2d to 4d a bundle: sninach, 6d to Is 6d a dozen: leeks, l}d to 3d: French beans. Is to Is 9d a lb; marrows, 2s to 3s 6d a dozen: melons. 2d to 5d each: lettuce. Is to 4s 6d a case; celery, cooking, Cd to 3d a bundle; desert, Is to 2s 8d; rhubarb, 2s to 4s a <loz<.-n; asparagus. Is to Is Gd a bundle.

POULTRY Cockerels, heavy breeds, pnme, 4s to 6s 6d; not prime. 2s up: light, prime, 2a 6d to 4s; not prime. Is 6d up: tat roosters, heavy breeds, prime, 2s to 3s ; light, 1b 6d to 2s 6d; fnt hens, heavy breeds, 2s 9d to 3s Od; licht, 2s to 3s; pullets, heavy breeds, best. 2s 9d to 4s: smaller, Is 6d up: lifrht, best. 2s Od to 4s: smaller. Is 6d up; drakes, young, prime, 29 3d to 29 9d; smaller. Is 6d up: old, is fid to 2s 3d: ducks, youne, 3s to 3s 6d; old. Is fid to 2ii 3d; turkey hens. 4s to 6s: cobblers. 6s to lis; day-old chicks. Black Orpipfrton, 6d to 8d; Leghorn, 3d to 4d; guinea fowls, 3s to 3s 6d.

EXPORT OF EGGS BEGINNING 01- SEASON GOOD MARKET PROSPECTS "The egg export business in now 01 a sound basis as the result of experience gained during the past few seasons,' i said Mr. A. E. Knowles, chairman o the Auckland Egg Export Committee yesterday. "Producers would be well ad vised to export as many eggs as pos si hie with a view to strengthening th< local market." Packing for export com menccd yesterday in the various store; and wili be in full swing for sonu weeks. The first shipment will be made bj the Rangitane on September 27, wher 2400 crates, each of 30 dozen eggs, will 'be consigned to England. Of these, 120 C crates will be from Auckland, others being from Otago a.nd Canterbury. There will be further shipments as space is made available by the Central Ege Export Committee. Exporting is expected to continue until the middle ol November to meet the strong demand for eggs on the Christmas market in Britain. Last season')? shipments constituted a record for the export of eggs in shell from the Dominion, the total, 3054 crates, exceeding the previous highest figure by 930 dozen. Prospects for the coming season are reported to be much brighter than they were a year ago, and the committee anticipates a better export trade all round, with an improvement in the prices paid for eggs. The Auckland Egg Export Committee has been elected as follows: —Mr. A. E. Knowles (chairman), representing the Waitemata District Council of the Poultry Producers' Federation; Mr. W. C. K. Homier, the Mamibau and Frankton District Councils; and Mr. James Emery and Captain A. G. Hackett. elected by ballot by the producers. These are in. addition to five representatives of the exporting firms. LONG COLD STORAGE BUTTER FOUR YEARS ( OLD AUCKLANDER'S PROCESS A critical examination of butter after it had been in cold store for nearly four years was mode by experts recently in Australia, and it was found to exhibit high qualities both of texture and spreadability. It was originally treated by what is known as the Abel Vacuum Process, invented by Mr. Hansen Abel, of Auckland, and 11 boxes were put into store at a temperature of 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Some time ago samples of salted and un sal ted butters similarly treated were examined after 19 months in store and were pronounced choicest grade, while control boxes bad slipped back to low first grade. Members of the grading staff of the Australian Dairy Branch, when asked their opinion, declared that, from the point of view of the object in question, the matter of texture, the results were wonderfully good. The effects of the low temperature had not affected the butter's physical properties, and the resultant texture of each of the boxes was high enough to give the maximum points (30) laid down by the Dairying Industry Act, when grading butter. Subsequently, samples were taken and spread on new broad. Here again the smallness of the grain and the perfect combination of the fat in the processed samples were apparent, the butter spreading evenly and without the crumbling usual with butter that has been subject to low temperatures.