DEAR FRUIT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19406, 16 February 1925, Page 2

DEAR FRUIT.

HIGH PRICES IN DUNEDIN. RESTRICTION OF BUSINESS. A Wellington 'business man engaged in fruit exporting made tho following statement to a representative of the Evening Post: “I have just returned from Dunedin. From close observation of the fruit shops

in that city 1 saw an astonishing unanimity in tho prices of fruit in tho windows. The shops were run by Europeans for the most part, and tho fi;uit was well displayed—so were tho prices. Central Otago peaches and apricots wore selling at 8d per pound. When I returned to Wellington 24 hours later fruit from Central Otago was in the

windows offered at 6d per pound—apricots and peaches. While in Otago I brought the matter under tho notice of a producer in a large way of business, and suggested that tho prices in the Dunedin shops wore too high to enable tho local market to absorb very much fruit. The producer agreed. “It is altogether too restricted,” he said. “Wo cannot get rid of the fruit nearly quick enough; so in self-defence wo are soiling retail case lots (201 b) at 3s 2d, a fraction less than 2d per pound (case included). The margin between what wo received and what the consumer pays fa monstrously high.” “When I realised (hat Central Otago fruit was selling retail in me Wellington shops at 2d per pound, or 25 per cent., loss than it was selling for in Dunedin, to say

nothing of the difference in cost between Central Otago and Dunedin and Central Otago and Wellington it was made perfectly plain to me that tho New Zealand producer cannot look for that measure of relief that the local market could, and should, afford until ho seriously takes the retail distribution of fruit into his own hands, no must break the present high prices, and ho can do it and at the same time make good profits. The profits will be in increased turnover or greater consumption. It is fooling with the matter to indulge in propaganda when the great majortiy of people cannot afford the prices charged for fruit, and consequently do not fauv it.”