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THE BANANA MARKET.
SYDNEY, Tuesday.—The demand for
bananas at. tlio fruit; markets to-day was
very poor and the market w«» weak.
Choice wore quoted at. up to ,25s per tffi'se,
■prod 20s to 223. and inferior- from 12s to
'J 8s.
Commenting on the-position to-day one
• cif\thc leading; agents stated that, supplies
. 'this year showed a. falling irff of about 00
■ : pier <p<?nt. compared with the e.o*ye«ponding
*" month ,-.)ash year. Notwithstanding tfrfa
much difficulty was being experienced in
selling at above. 25s per . ease. ; This was
explained by the; faef. that the ordinary
purchaser by the dozen was not. prepared
to pay more than Is fid. If the wholesale
' prices were much nioTe_ than 2ns the fruit
erer was iiliable to ■sell at a profit.
'•"We sold odd. cases," said the agent,
"at up to 30s per case, but last wool?
only two otit of 60(1 realised that price, "YYe
find tluit • when, we ask above 253 the cle
miaind :slackens to such an extent that we
are/forced to drop the price. 'V • • '.
The a.^eut did not seem concerned at, the
importation of 2ft cases of Fiji bananas' to
test the market.; ■ " • • V '
"If we cannot wll above 25s;" he said,
"and, as there is 8s duty, per ca.se on.im
ported bananas, it' is . unlikely ; that . Fiji
brnnanas could be brought' On'this market,
and show a reasonable profit.. They have
such a"good market in America at • tlve pre
sent time that they are. not likely t.Q. ex
port to Australia, where they have to sell
at rates below those ruling in San Fran
cisco. . . . .. ■. .
$