VEGETABLE PRICES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 November 1941, Page 3

VEGETABLE PRICES

INQUIRY BY TRIBUNAL WEATHER BLAMED FOR SHORTAGE. POTATO AND ONION PROSPECTS (By Telegraph— Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Most of the blame for the shortage of vegetables and consequent high prices was placed on the weather by , the principal witness before the Price Tribunal inquiry into the high price of vegetables, which was continued in Wellington yesterday. This witness was Mr R. G. Ffitch, officer in charge, produce section, Internal Marketing Division. His opinion was that vegetable prices were always much higher in Wellington than in Christchurch. Mr Ffitch’s evidence also gave an indication to the public of what to expect with onion and potato prices. In long reports, Mr Ffitch stated that for next ■ year it seemed reasonable to expect that supplies of potatoes were unlikely to materially exceed, or possibly even to equal, this year’s quantity. There was little prospect of any lower prices ruling for main crop potatoes than was the case this year, namely £7 to £8 a ton free on board, sacks in, South Island ports in April/ May, rising to £l2 to £l3, a ton in August/September. The market would not approach normal conditions till the early crops came in from other districts in substantial quantities, which would probably not be before the latter half of December. From that time onward supplies in customary qualities might reasonably be expected at prices ranging from £9 to £l4 a ton in the markets, approximating the usual prices ruling during December to February. Last year good sound onions were available in ample quantities to the end of December, and no importations were required. This year the onion crop was not harvested under satisfactory weather conditions. On the whole the keeping quality had been poor. Recognising this, exports during April to August were permitted to Australia for limited quantities, which would in most cases have been to a considerable extent in unmarketable condition if kept till October-De-cember. A total quantity of 791 tons was exported to Australia this year. Prices for the few remaining supplies were now at high levels, but not so high as in Australia where ruling prices during the past six weeks had been from £4O to £4B a ton. New season’s onions from Pukekohe would start coming on the market about the middle of December, and from the beginning of January onward ample supplies would be available. Prices during the past 12 months had ranged from a landed cost in Wellington of £lO a ton in February, when the main crop commenced to come on the market, to £l3 in June, increasing to £lB in September; and with a decided shortage in November, up to £25 and £3O a ton. This year onions had ruled at very high prices in Australia, where there had been an acute shortage with a very short crop and much larger quantities could have been exported there had New Zealand been able to spare them. In general, it might be said that for the period February to September, the retail price of onions did not vary materially and ranged from 81b to 61b for Is, increasing as supplies become dearer during the latter months of the year to 41b for Is. This price was seldom exceeded except on occasions such as ruled at present, when supplies were very short indeed, and the few sound onions available from growers commanded a high wholesale price.