MARKET CONDITION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 4, 15 April 1913, Page 440

MARKET CONDITION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

The Fruit Inspectors of the Orchards and Gardens Division report as follows on the condition of locally grown fruit and vegetables in the shops and auction-rooms, and the market position of these, for the month of March: — Auckland. Throughout the month of March large quantities of locally grown fruit have been handled and examined, and I am pleased to report that, with the exception of a line of six cases of pears which arrived from Whangarei .badly affected with scab and were destroyed, the fruit was clean, and no warning notices were issued. The markets have been heavily supplied with all seasonable fruits, particularly apples and pears; but, as the demand for fruit has been keen, the prices are good. Occasional lots of Northern Spy are coming to hand, and these are of very good size, colour, and quality, and show a good return to the grower at from Bs. to 9s. 6d. per case. The average prices ruling throughout the month for fruit are as follows : —choice dessert, ss. to 9s. 6d. per case ; second class, 3s. to ss. per case. Pearschoice dessert, ss. to 9s. 6d. per case ; second class, 3s. 9d. to 6s. per case. Quinces, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 9d. per case. —hothouse, 9d. to Is. 3d. per pound; outdoor, 3s. to ss. per 18 lb. case. Lemons—choice, 9s. to 14s. per case ; second class, ss. to Bs. per case. Pigs, 2s. to 4s. per 18 lb. case. Water-melons (local), 9d. to Is. 3d. each. Tomatoesvery unsteady, fluctuating from Is. 6d. to ss. per 18 lb. case.— C. Graigie.

Wellington.—Supplies of practically all lines of local fruit dropped in price during the beginning of this month, but are now improving. The markets were glutted in the earlier part of the month with tomatoes, and low prices prevailed, some lines selling at 6d. per case. Later, however, the market has improved considerably and higher prices realized. Apples and pears are now arriving in good order, nicely packed and graded. The approximate prices ruling for fruit during the month are as follows : Apples—choice, ss. 6d. to Bs. 6d. per case ; cooking, 4s. to ss. 6d. per case. Pears — choice, ss. to Bs. 6d. per case ; cooking, 2s. to 3s. 6d. per case. Plums (small supply), 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per half-case. —choice, 3s. to 3s. 6d. per case ; others, 2s. per case. Grapes Lower Hutt, 7d. to lid. per pound ; Nelson, sd. to lOd. per pound. Cape gooseberries, 4d. to sd. per pound. Blackberries, ■ ss. to 6s. per kerosene-tin. Quinces, Is. 6d. to 3s. per case. Tomatoeschoice, 2s. to 3s. per case; medium, Is. to Is. 6d. per case. Cucumbershothouse, 2s. to 3s. per case ; outdoor, ss. to 6s. per banana-case. Potatoes have eased slightly, due to South Island supplies, which are amving'in fair condition, and realizing £6 to £7 10s. per ton. Onions are in fair supply and the quality is good; prices have eased somewhat, fetching from £6 to £7 per ton. All other vegetables are in good supply, and the prices vary very little from last month’s quotations;— C. Webb.

Christchurch.—-Fruit and vegetables are in fair supply, the ruling prices being as follows : Apples—dessert, 4s. 6d. to ss. per case ; cooking, 3s. 6d. to 4s. per case. Bananas Islands, Bs. to 9s. per case ; Fiji, 9s. to 10s. per case. Lemons—ltalian, £1 2s. 6d. per case. —Australian, 4d. per pound; local, 6d. to lOd. per pound. Peaches, Id. to 2d. per pound. Pears, |d. to 2d. per pound. Potatoes, 6s. to 7s. per cwt. Cucumbers, 2s. to 3s. per case. Tomatoes, |d. to l|d. per pound. Other vegetables in fair supply.— E. A. Reid. *

Dunedin.—During the month peaches, plums, and tomatoes have been in poor supply, grapes, apples, and pears have been plentiful, while apricots are now finishe . Cauliflowers, cabbage, lettuce, rhubarb, carrots, beetroot, and potatoes have been plentiful. All lines of fruit and vegetables were in good order, and the ruling prices for the month are as follows : Tomatoes —outside, 2|-d. to 3|d. per pound ; hothouse, sd. per pound. Plums, 2d. per pound. Pears, ss. to 6s. per case. Apples, (is. to 7s. per case. Apricots, 4d. per pound. Blackberries, 6-Jd. per pound. Peaches, 4d. pel pound. Potatoes, 6s. 4d. per cwt. Peas, l|d. per pound. Cabbage, 2s. 6d. per sack. Shops well stocked. — E. T. Taylor. .. ... ... Bluer. —A large amount of New Zealand fruit was on thisjmarket during March. However, as the demand for fruit was keen the market was not glutted, except perhaps for a few days in the case of tomatoes. The local markets are stocked with fruit from Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Canterbury, North Otago, Teviot, and Southland, and owing to the local supply importations have eased.: The majority of the. fruit is very , well packed and , graded and in a clean condition. Warning , notices were issued to Canterbury, growers for scab on apples and pears. The following is a list of the average prices ruling during the month : Tomatoeshothouse, 3d. to sd. per pound ; outdoor, Id. to 4d. per pound. Peaches, 2|d. to 4Jd. per pound. Plums, 2d. to 4d. per pound. Pears, 2s. 6d. to Bs. per case. Apples— dessert, 6s. to Bs. per case ; cooking, 2s. 6d. to 6s. per case. Grapes, Bd. to Is. 3d. per pound. Quinces, ss. per case. Onions, Bs. to 9s. per cwt. Potatoes, £5 to £6 per ton. Cabbages, Is. per dozen. Cauliflowers, 2s. to 3s. per dozen. Parsnips, carrots, and turnips, Is. per bunch of a dozen. Cucumbers —hothouse, 2s. 6d. to 3s. per dozen ; outdoor, Is. per dozen. Rhubarb, Id. to l|d. Marrows and pumpkins, 10s. per cwt. — R. Hutton.