Tomatoes Scarce DISEASE AND HEAT RESPONSIBLE. 15 Dec 1941. High temperatures have caused the tomatoes to ‘boil’ and plants are yielding poor quality yellow fruit.
Tomatoes Scarce (1941, December 15). Barrier Daily Truth (Broken Hill, NSW : 1908; 1941 – 1954), p. 2. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141748721?searchTerm=Record%20Heat%20december#
ADELAIDE. December 14.
Disease and heat have combined to ruin the tomato crop, and Adelaide is now facing one of the most severe shortages on record.
Tomato growers are faced with heavy losses as a result of disease which has spoilt the majority of glass house crops. Plants have shrivelled with the sudden burst of heat, and they are unable to carry the fruit until it is ripe.
High temperatures have caused the tomatoes to ‘boil’ and plants are yielding poor quality yellow fruit.
There were ample supplies on the Adelaide market a week ago, and supplies were being forwarded to Melbourne. With the sudden unexpected shortage this week a large consignment
of Adelaide tomatoes was purchased in Melbourne and brought here on Thursday. In spite of double freight and Melbourne agents’ commission they still found a ready market.
One agent reported today that tomatoes were of such poor quality that it was possible to obtain only about 2 lb. of fair quality tomatoes from a half-case.
The range of wholesale prices on the Adelaide market during the latter part of the week was from 10/ up to 18/ a half-case.
Retailers were asking from 6d. to 3d. a lb.. but a few good quality tomatoes are bringing even higher prices.