DUNEDIN MARKETS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21985, 21 June 1933, Page 4

DUNEDIN MARKETS

TO THE EDITOR

Silt,—ln your issue of the 17th inst. yoii say: “There is a possibility of the growers in some of the districts of Australia being allowed to send citrus fruits to New Zealand. Should this take place it would prove a help to both merchants and retailers in the Dominion, as there is but little variety on offer. Australian mandarins, pines, passion fruit, _ melons, lemons, and navels are badly missed in the New Zealand market.” Just so. Mind you, this refers to the merchants and retailers; there is nothing said about the purchaser. What about those who want a variety of fruit, at this time of the year, especially? Grapes are 2s a lb in New Zealand, 4d a lb in Australia. Lemons, New Zealand grown, are 25s per case, and not worth half the price, being half pith, but the buyer is asked 3d each retail for Californian, an infinitely better fruit; which is readily purchased in comparison if one can afford it. Californian grapefruit is 40s per case, when, the Australian fruit is equally as good, and could be landed and sold at half the price. Island oranges are off the market, so your report says, but Californian Valencias are in good supply, and at what price? I can buy apples, some at 3d and 4d per lb, and how many does one find “pitted”?—and your fruiterer won’t tell you whether they are or not until you find out for yourself. Our late Minister of Customs has a lot to answer, for in this respect as far as our lemons are concerned and, indeed, as far as this embargo on Australian fruit is concerned. It is not generally known, but it is an acknowledged fact, that if one consumes a certain amount of fruit of whatever kind in season the body retains a goodly portion of this, and so the benefits of the eating are from season to season. What would many give just now within reason for grapes, mandarins, pineapples, and passion fruit? —and I am neither a wholesaler nor retailer. This should be a matter for the medical profession to take up, and heartily at that. Imported lemons 3d each, and American at that, grapes; 2s per lb for'New Zea-land-grown; 4d per lb Australian grown! —I am, ptc., lodine.