SMALL-SIZED APPLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26233, 17 August 1946, Page 3

SMALL-SIZED APPLES

DIFFICULTIES OF SALE ORANGE SHIPMENT DELAYED Consequent on the quantity of smallsized apples on the market sales to retailers have been on the slow side. It was thought early in the season, when the small sizes were being sold that much larger sizes would be available later in the season. It now appears, however, that the market will still have to handle the small sizes which are being held in the cool stores. Fairly heavy stocks of the small sizes are also being held by the wholesale merchants, and it is difficult to say what will become of these, as retailers refuse to take them at the price fixed by the Marketing Division. Small sized apples range up to 270 per case of 401 b, the fruit being a little over one inch in diameter. The position is a disturbing one to those who have the welfare of the apple industry in Otago at heart. In previous years merchants were not allowed to market this small size of

fruit, but owing to the impossibility

of obtaining wrappers they were allowed on the market. The small sizes are unwrapped.

One leading fruit - merchant states that the prevalence of the small sizes is the result of growers failing to thin their trees sufficiently and also in some cases failing to prune them. Such growers have the mistaken idea that in the aggregate they get a larger crop of small-sized apples but it has been proved beyond doubt, said the merchant, that by hard thinning and pruning a heavier crop of large-sized apples can be taken from a tree than small sized. There was no delivery of pears this week, but a quantity should be available next week. Bananas Awaited

The next shipment of bananas will also be late in arriving on the Dunedin market as the Island steamer Matua is at present ln The C next shipment of Australian naval oranges will not arrive until the end of the month, consequent on the Waitaki. on her return trip to Melbourne, bemg held up for 10 days at Bluff through bad weather. It would have required only one day to load the cargo waiting shipment at Bluff. Previously the Waitaki made a three-weekly trip between Melbourne and New Zealand, To-day the trip iS SmalfThi e pm y ent°s ne of New Zealand and Australian-grown lemons arrived durin„ th poorman oranges are still „,PJ ac *!. c h a i l ’u unobtainable, and the few cases which have reached the marts have to be rationed to the retailers. The growers of noorman oranges report that the factories are buying dirlct from the ™ no nrice. and as a consequence there is no incentive for them to ship consignments south, as in other years. The fruit_as sold does not require the same packing, and once it is s2ld to ,the factories the risk from the growers point of view is fi plsslon fruit Is realising exceptionally high prices, and tree tomatoes are also ■selling well, from the grower’s point of view. The market could do with larger supplies of both lines. The high Prices being obtained in the North Island are, however, preventing them being sent south. The yeggtable Market

Cauliflowers were In better supply at the week-end, and the market was easier A few spring cabbages are now coming forward from the Oamaru district, but the hearts are not well developed, and it is difficult to obtain the ceiling price for them. Savoys are not so plentiful, ana b, s p «"‘,rruss?V‘ **»»ra: *A bu, dKss. 1 s;“of. r ‘;n* Parsnips have a slightly better demand, and the heavy stocks are being cleaned OU A further supply of North Island-grown pumpkins is due to arrive ex Kauri. Swedes are in good supply. Spinach is realising high values. Brussels sprouts are plentiful Wholesale Prices

Apples: Delicious, 7s 6d to 10s 6d« pet case; Sturmers, 7s 6d to 8s 6d; cookers. 6s to 8s 6d (cases extra). pears: Winter Cole and Winter Nells, 14s 6d to 16s 6d per bushel case (cases 5d extra). Australian oranges, sold out. Bananas, sold out. New Zealand lemons: Town, 20s per case; country. 19s (cases 5d extra); Australian, town 37s per case, country 365. Tree tomatoes, to 2s 6d per lb Passion fruit, to 38s per case. Celery, Is to Is 3d per head Lettuce. Choice, to 4s 6d per dozen, others Is to 2s. Cauliflower. 5s to 10s per sack: inferior, 2s to 4s. Cabbage, 4s to 6s a sack. Leeks, 8d per bundle. Onions, f.a.q., £2l per ton. Potatoes, £lO to £ll 10s per ton. Carrots 14s 3d per, cwt. Parsnips, to 17s 3d per cwt. Pumpkins, 27s 6d per cwt. Brussels sprouts, 3d to 41d per lb. Swedes. 2s to 3s per sugar bag Artichokes, lid per lb. Beetroot, 3s 6d to 5s per dozen bunches.