ONION MARKET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22777, 10 July 1937, Page 9

ONION MARKET

SHORTAGE IN SUPPLY. HIGH PRICES NOW RULING As the onion season, Avhich has been a fairly light one this year, is drawing to "a close, supplies of local onions are now growing short, with the result that this vegetable has advanced considerably in price during the past lew weeks. A month ago onions sold at the City Markets at 4s 6d to Gs 3d a bag, toward the middle of June they were os to 6s, while at last auctions they were priced at 6s to 7s a bag Tuesday's market report stated that fair quantities of onions were available, prices being high. The present supply of onions throughout New Zealand is unsatisfactory. As a considerable proportion of locallygrown onions do not keep particularly well, it appears almost certain that wholesale supplies will, be exhausted toward the end of August or early in September. It was for these reasons that the Government recently decided to permit the importation of onions between September 15 and November 20 in order to bridge the period until the new season's local produce is ready for the market. The market was glutted with onions at times last year and growers found difficulty in disposing of their stocks. Because of this, growers asked the Government for a system of control and the decision to prohibit the import of onions, except with the consent of the Minister of Customs, came into force at the end of March. A prominent fruit and vegetable merchant stated yesterday that this year supplies from Pukekohe had been fair and growers had found no difficulty in disposing of their stocks. A shipment of Canadian onions is expected by the Aorangi on September 20 and this will more than likely be the first shipment to arrive since the importation ban was lifted. These onions are expected to relieve the shortage, which by that date is likely to be acute. Negotiations are also in progress on the possibility of arranging a sale of several thousand tons of Victorian onions to New Zealand. Fewer Canterbury onions than usual have been brought to Auckland this season, said one retailer yesterday. The produce which had como north, ho said, did not possess the keeping quality of the I'ukekohe onions, which were Auckland's principal supply. Several bags of Pukekohe onions which he bought at this week's sale were fine quality, but dear in price. Pukekohe and South Island onions lasted last year until the end of June and the first supplies of imported produce came in about the beginning of July from California. Prior to this local supplies wore of poor quality and required repicking before selling.