MARKET CONDITION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 5, 15 May 1913, Page 552

MARKET CONDITION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

The Fruit Inspectors of the Orchards and GardensUDivision 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 April:— .

Auckland.—The rush of the season is now over, and supplies are slacking off daily. Owing to continued dry weather in the North, many of the later varieties of apples are small and scrubby, but the demand is fairly keen and prices are holding well. Appleschoice dessert, 6s. to Bs. per bushel; seconds, 4s. 6d. to 6s. per bushel; cooking, 4s. to ss. 6d. per bushel; Northern Spy, Bs. to Ils. per bushel. Pearschoice dessert, Bs. to 9s. per bushel; cooking, 3s. 3d. to 4s. 6d. per bushel. Quinces, 4s. to 7s. per bushel. Lemons—choice, 9s. to 13s. per case; seconds, ss. to 7s. 6d. per case. Persimmons, 4s. to ss. 6d. per 201 b. case. Passions, 4s. 6d. to Bs. 6d. per -bushel. Grapes—hothouse, 9d. to Is. 4d. per pound; outdoor, sd. to 9d. per pound. Cape gooseberries, 4d. to sd. per pound. Tomatoeschoice, Is. 9d. to 3s. 6d. per 20 lb. case ; seconds, Is. 3d. to 2s. per 20 lb. case; tree-tomatoes, 3s. 3d. to 4s. 6d. per 20 lb. case. — G. Craigie.

- Wellington.—Throughout last month locally grown fruit came in fairly heavily, and values were very steady. Choice pears are in good demand ; apples are realizing fair prices, the packing and grading of the latter having improved greatly. • Tomatoes are in short supply, also cauliflowers, and prices are good. The prices ruling during the month are as follows: —choice dessert, ss. to 7s. per case; others, 2s. 6d. to 4s. per case... Pearschoice dessert, Bs. to 10s. per case; others, 2s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. per case. GrapesHutt-grown, lOd. to ll|d. per pound; Nelson-grown, Bd. to lOd. per pound. A few lines of peaches sold at 4s. to 45.. 6d. Tomatoesround, ss. to 7s. 6d. per case ; others, 2s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. per case; seconds, 9d. to Is. per case. Cauliflowers, 7s. to 10s.; others, 3s. to ss. per sack. Cabbages, 4s. to ss. per sack. Green peas, 6s, to. 7s. per sack. Carrots, 3s. per sack. Pumpkins, 4s. 6d; to ss. 6d. per sack. Marrows, Is. 6d. to 2s. per sack. Beans, 3s. to 4s. per part sack. Mushrooms are in good demand at s|d. per pound. Cape gooseberries, 5 Jd. per pound. Potatoes, good demand’ of table at £6 to £6 ss. per ton. Onions, excellent demand at £7 per ton.— T. G. Webb.

Christchurch.—Oranges, 4s. 6d. to ss. 6d. Apples, 3s. 6d. to 6s. 6d., the latter price being for late keepers. Pears, 3s. 6d. to 6s. 6d., the latter price being for late keepers. Tomatoes, anything good, Id. to 2d. per pound. Potatoes, £4 per ton. Onions, £4 ss. per ton. Owing to Victorian onions easing in price it is possible that the local product may lower. Good dessert and ccoking apples are in good demand, and there is every prospect of a rise in prices. Owing.to a heavy marketing of midseason pears, prices for this fruit have been low, but when these supplies are exhausted it is anticipated that a rise in prices will take place in winter varieties. Owing to the favourable weather the prospects for winter and spring vegetables are good. W. E. L. Williams'. .

Dunedin.—All fruit was in good order with the exception of a few lines of tomatoes. Apples, pears, and tomatoes were plentiful; grapes, fair supply ; peaches, plums, quinces, ’short supply; vegetables, fair supplies. Four warning notices had to be issued for fruit infected with pear-scab. Apples, eating, brought 7s. to 95., cookers 4's.' 6d. to 55., per case. Pears, 6s. to Bs. per case. Plums, l{-d. to 2d. per pound. Grapes, 6d. per pound ; choice, up to lOd. per pound. Italian lemons, 12s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. per case. Rarotonga oranges, ss. 6d. per case. Bananas, 7s. per case. Tomatoes, 2s. 6d. to 3s. per case. Peaches, 2|-d. per pound. Potatoes, £5 ss. to £5 10s. per ton. Onions, £6 6s. to £7 per ton. ■ Peas, 7s. per cwt. Cauliflowers, 6s. sd. per sack. Cabbages, 3s. per sack. Marrows, ss. 9d. per — E. T. Taylor. .

Bluff.—New-Zealand - grown fruit, comprising tomatoes, apples, pears, quinces, peaches, plums, and grapes were fairly plentiful on this market during the month of April. The majority of the apples arrived from Nelson and Canterbury, and were of excellent quality. Southland-grown apples are not very good this year owing to bad season. The current prices for April were : Apples—cooking, 6s. to 6s. 6d. per case; local, 3s. to ss. ; dessert, 6s. to Ils. (special). Pears—cooking, l|d. to 2d. per pound; dessert, 6s. to 9s. per case. Tomatoes, 2s. a box up to 3d. per pound. Quinces, 2d. to 2|d. Peaches (jam), 2d. to 3d. Plums (jam), 2d. to 3d. Grapes, Bd. to lOd. Jam melons, 7s. to Bs. per cwt. Potatoes, £4 ss. to £5 per ton. Onions, 7s. 6d. to 9s. per cwt.; pickling, 12 s. 6d. Cabbages, 3s. per sack. Cauliflowers, 3s. per dozen. Marrows, Bs. to 9s. per cwt. Cucumbers, 2s. 6d. per dozen. ’ Carrots, parsnips, and turnips, Id. per bunch; carrots, 4s. to ss. per sack; parsnips, ss. per sack; swedes, Is.' 6d. per sack.-

R. Hutton.