GRAIN, SEED AND PRODUCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 134, 18 March 1948, Page 7

GRAIN, SEED AND PRODUCE

COMMERCIAL

MARKETS REMAIN QUiET Ashburton grain, seed and produce merchants report that all markets remain exceptionally quiet, with limited business passing. Several millers have purchased their allocation of wheat, hut odd millers are still short of requirements. Carton oats are in strong demand from oatmeal millers, and this variety of oat is also keenly sought after by North Island buyers. Barley is also in strong demand, and any free lines are readily saleable. Oatsheaf chaff is also inquired for, but shipping space is not available at present. The market for perennial ryegrass of export quality is firm, but lines of low germination are neglected. Lupins suitable for export are in demand, but growers in most places are holding for higher prices. Most lines of partridge and blue peas have been dealt with and the crop has been a short one. Other markets remain unchanged. Range of Prices The range of prices is as follows, all on trucks at country stations, sacks extra unless otherwise stated: Wheat —Tuscan 8s per bushel, Hunters 8s 2d, Velvet Ss 4d, Marquis Ss Gd, all f.o.b. (less Id bush, insurance). Oats —“A” Gartons 4s 8d per bushel (ceiling price), Algerians 6s to 6s 3d, Duns 6s 6d to 7s, according to quality. Red Clover —2s per lb. Barley—Chevalier and Cape Gs 3d (malting), 6s (feed) per bushel. Linseed—F.a.q. £3O a ton, contract. Peas —Partridge 10s a bushel (No. l’s), contract; Prussian blues 12s Gd per bushel (No. l’s), contract. Lupins 6s Gd to 7s a bushel. Price for Eggs The buying price for eggs this week is 2s 6d, plus 4d subsidy a dozen, and the retail price is 2s 9|d. Pullets 2s 3d plus 4d, and retail 2s 6|d. BREEDING EWES IN DEMAND ADDINGTON MARKET (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Mar. 17. The store sheep entry at Addington to-day was 6000 lambs, 3400 twotooth owes, and 10,500 aged ewes in lamb. Best lambs sold at about last week’s rates,; bijt secondary sorts were 2s lower. Best lambs made 25s to 30si, medium IDs to 245, and small and backward 12s to 18s 6d. Good twotooth ewes sold at prices well up to Iho.se ol: recent sales. Top price was 48s for a pen of excellent Romneys from .Nelson. They were tops of a consignment of 'SOO, which sold at 41s 6d 1o the top price. A pen of Southland Romneys made 47s 3d. The best fine-woolled price was 41s for a pen. of luilfbreds. .Best open-woolled ewes made 41s to 48s, good 35s to 40s. ordinary 20s to 325. best fme-woolled 34s to ‘4ls, good 28s to 335, others 23s to 27s'. The inquiry for aged ewes wasi erratic, although prices were a shade better than last week. Good four-year ewes made 25s to 31s, medium 20s to 245, ordinary 16s to IDs, and culls down to Ds. The fat lamb entry was 1310. With butchers back in the market buying under the group scheme prices for heavier typeW showed an improvement of Is. Extra prime made to 475, prime 38s to 41s, good 33s to 375. medium 29s to 325, light, 24s to 28s. The fat sheep yarding was 5500. Apart from butchers buying under the group scheme several individual butchers operated, and values for fat wethers worn good, although up to 4s lower than the sale of three weeks ago. Ewes sold at full schedule rates. Extra prime wethers made 58s Id, prime heavy 45s to 50s, medium 40s to 445, ordinary and light 35s to 395; prime heavy ewes 36s Id, prime 27s to 31s, medium 22s to 265, and ordinary and light • 18s to 21s. Ashburton sales were: R. Frisby (Eiffelton), 42 wethers at 52s Id to 58s Id, 20 ewes at 30s Id to 32s 7d; M. S. Turton (Ashburton Forks), 40 wethers at 50s 7d to 56s lid, 149 ewes at 28s 7d to 33s Id; Lands and Survey Dept. (Lauriston), 205 ewes at 23s Id to 32s 7d; Lands and Survey Dept. (Dromore), 136 ewes at 25s 7d to 31s Id. The fat cattle entry was 498. Competition was good and values were about 20s up on last week. Best beef made to 60s, good 45s to 52s 6d, medium 37s Gd to 42s 6d, best cow to 42s Gd and secondary 37s 6d per 1001 b. Extra prime steers made £24 12s 6d, prime heavy £2O to £22, prime me-dium-weight £l7 to £l9, ordinary and light £l4 10s to £l6; extra prime heifers £IS 7s 6d, prime £ll to £ls, ordinary and light £8 to £10; extra prime cows £l6 10s Od, prime £9 10s to £l2, ordinary and light £7 to £9. The porker yarding was of medium size and values improved sharply by 10s to 12s a head. Choppers were firmer by 20s to 30s. Baconers, except heavy-weights, which were 3s to 4s easier, showed little change. Light porkers made £3 3s Od to £3 19s Od, medium £4 4s 6d to £4 14s Gd, heavy £4 17s 6d to £5 7s 6d, choppers £5 Is to £ll Is, light baconers £5 9s Od to £5 Hs (id, medium £5 17s Od to £6 2s (id, heavy £6 4s 6d to £6 9s 6d, and extra heavy £6 12s 6d to £6 17s Gd. The average price per lb was 9Jd to lO.’d.

STOCKS AND SHARES The following transactions were recorded on the Christchurch Stock Exchange yesterday: Sale on ’Change—Mount Lyoll, ?.0s

9(1. Sales reported: E., S. and A. Bank, £G 15s; Dominion Breweries, GOs 9d; N.Z. Farmers’ Co-op. (4| per cent. Stock, 195/)), £IOO 15s.