CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 87, 13 April 1927, Page 4

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

'By Telegrapn—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. Although it has slackened off again temporarily it is considered that business in potatoes has lately been quite bright, ant! about 5000 sacks are to be sent to Auckland by the Waipiata, which is expected to sail this evening. A considerable quantity of potatoes will also go North by the vessel from Dunediu and Timaru. Auckland merchants are reported to be "shy' ? of buying large quantities on a forward basis, preferring to do business shipment by shipment. The Waipiata's loading constitutes the first of the season's business on a satisfactory scale, but it is considered that fioin now on there will be a steady demand from the North. Uncertainty sti'l exists with regard to the state of the crops, which, according to some authorities, ar.» far from satisfactory. As against this" however, one merchant stated to-day that be had had only one grower whose crop would not exceed three or four tons to the acre, the others all admitting that tney would get from six tons upwards. A satisfactory feature about the potatoes this season, according to the same authority, was that there had been no complaints from graders at Lyttelton conccrning the size of the tubers.

The onion market is said to \>e quieter this season than at any time (luting the past 10 or 11 years. The cause of this eta-te of affairs is that niore onions arc now being grown in the North Island than 1 formerly. Generally a fair quantity of onions is sent at this time of the year to New Plymouth, and other of the smaller North island ports, whereas this season the trade is almost negligible. The price to fanners is £2 7/6 on trucks at country stations. Very little business is taking place in seeds, the position regarding which is unchanged.