FRUIT MARKET

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21415, 8 May 1941, Page 5

FRUIT MARKET

SUPPLIES ON HAND VEGETABLES PLENTIFUL Supplies of fruit and vegetables are coming to hand fairly well and the wholesalers are coping with a heavy demand for the stock available. Prices for apples have shown a sharp increase during the past few days and a plentiful supply has shown an increase of from 2s to 3s a case. Auckland Delicious apples are finished but the Hawke’s Bay apples are realising from 3s 6d to 7s a case. Ballarat cookers, which have been selling at from 2s 6d to 3s 6d, are now bringing from 3s 6d to 4s 6d. Pears are selling cheaply, Winter Coles being sold at about 5s a case and cooking pears at about 3s. The season for outdoor tomatoes is now over but a few hothouse are on hand, these realising from 6d to Is a lb. A plentiful supply of Island oranges is selling at fixed Government rates, but bananas are very scarce this year because of the shipping difficulties. A shipload is expected within the next few days, however. Tree tomatoes are selling cheaply at from 5s to 6s a case. Te Kauwhata grapes are now finished, but a few hothouse grapes are on hand and are bringing from Is 9d to 2s a lb. High prices are ruling for passion fruit,* cases realising from 12s to 15s. The season is nearly over. Prices for Vegetables Many vegetables have been diverted from the Wellington markets because of transport difficulties brought about by the flooding, and as a consequence the auctioneers are handling a very plentiful supply, prices being lower accordingly. Cauliflowers, which sold at from 10s to 12s a bag last week, made from 6s to 7s this week, while cabbages sold at from 5s to 7s, this being a decrease of as much as 3s a bag on last week’s market. There are no more green peas available, while the few hothouse beans on hand are realising 9d a lb. Tauranga kumeras are coming to hand at a steady rate, bags realising from 6s to 7s. The lettuces available are of poorer quality and are selling at from 4s to 7s 6d a case. Onions

are selling cheaply, prices for sugar bags ranging from 4s to 5s 6d. The demand for potatoes is fairly keen, supplies from Ohakune realising from 7s to 7s 6d a bag. Grey pumpkins are bringing from 6s to 7s t and red pumpkins from 2s to 3s a j bag. ‘