66 



SEASONS AND PRICES FOR FRUITS, A^EGETABLES, AND OTHER ECONOMIC 



PRODUCTS IN KINGSTON, JAMAICA. 



Compiled ly Wm. Harris, F.L.S., Superintendent of Hope Gardens. 



As there is a good deal of misapprehension with regard to the seasons for the 

 various crops grown in Jamaica, and the duration of the season for each crop, the 

 compiler visited the principal market in Kingston once a week fortwelve months for 

 the purpose of noting the various products offered for sale, and tlie prices charged 

 to consumers. These prices are at least one-third, and frequently tliree or four 

 times higher than the prices paid by the retail dealers to the growers of the 

 commodities enumerated. The prices noted for economic products such as ginger, 

 anatta, &c., were those paid by a large exporting firm to the producers. 



It will be readily understood that the seasons vary somewhat according to 

 prevailing weather conditions, and the prices also vary according to supply and 

 demand. 



Approximate Seasons for, and pi ices in Kingston, of fruits, vegetables and other 



2>roducts 



Common name. Botanical name. Seasons and prices in Kingston Market. 



Fruits. 

 Banana 



Blackberry 



BilbeiTy 



Cashew fruits 



Cashew nuts 



Coco-nuts — dry . 

 Coco-nuts —green 



Cherimoya 



Custard Apple 



Ginep 

 Granadilla 

 Grape Fruit 



Grapes — black 



Grapes — white 



Musa sapientum 



Rubus janiaicen- 



sis 

 Vaccinium meri 



dionale 

 Anacardium 



occidentale 

 Anacardium 



occidentale 

 Cocos nucifera 

 Cocos nucifera 



Anona Cheri- 



molia 

 Anona reticulata 



Melicocca bijuga 



PassLflora macro- 



carpa 

 Citrus decumana 



Vitis vinifera 

 var. 



Vitis vinifera 

 var. 



Throughout the 



dozen fingers. 

 June to Novembar — 4d 



year — l^d. to 3d. per 

 to 9d. per quart. 



Summer months — id. to Gd. per quart. 



May to August — 3d. to 4d. per dozen. 



INIay to September — lid. to 3d. per quart. 



Throughout the year — 9d. to Is. per dozen. 

 Throughout the year — Is. to Is. 6d. per 



dozen. 

 October to February — Id. to 3d. each. 



Plentiful November to mid' He of February ; 



scarce during remainder of the year — Is. 



per dozen. 

 August and September — Jd. to IJd. per 



buiich. 

 Throughout the year, but most plentiful 



during the winter months — 3d. to 6d. each. 

 Scarce April to August — 10s. to 123. per 



100 ; fair supply August to November — 



8s. to ] Os. per 100 ; plentiful November 



to end of March — 5s. to 10s. per 100. 

 Scarce and poor .January to March — Is. 6d. 



per lb., none middle March to end of May ; 



June to end of year fair supply — Is. to Is. 



3d. per lb. 

 None in the early part of the year ; scarce 



and poor April and May — 2s. per lb., June 



to end of year fair supply — Is. 6d. to 28, 



per lb 



