GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 234, 4 October 1927, Page 4

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

POTATO SPECULATION. BUIXS VERSUS BEARS. THE BEARS WIN. The Southern martet for potatoes has farther declined, and this movement has been reflected locally. Although the wholesale price still stands at £7 5/, merchants expect to drop their limit, to £7 within the next few cays. spe'cuiltk«7£t° d i that . a fair of potatoes during ine last lew months, and in the cleaning nr!! ASnd bears have come out on tori Local merchants have throughout the season held tenaciously to the view that ampJe P ot atoes in the Dominion or all requirements, and when the South tSd with 0 !® t0 n USh . UP prices the y counSfTSST interests) tlfe °j *>«"«» sr* T b 'fi d#d ret r" ° f "» *?? seemed to show that there were less table potatoes available than had been supposed. The Southern "bulls" kfnderf°\™if^Vh Up Went the price - Auck " anders took the opportunity to unload their forward deliveries. Just how the market has fluctuated will be recoenised when it is mentioned that less weeks ago the f.o.b. price for immediate delivery was £5 10/ per ton, and for October shipment sales were made at £6 2/6 to £6 1 of. To-day they can be bought at £4

th*°r£r r fT S over this result, and SnclSS^" reb Pra »" «"»"» "■»

The lesson of the year is that some more reliable and expeditions method of securing potato stat,sties is urgently necessao' par ™'? rI V n matter * f area, Stall mati K J ields generally are purely estimates, but statements of areas should be matters of fact, and there is a grave suspicion that the areas this year have tee* haphazardly stated, or not reported at all The result at the moment, with rj;, fire or B,x «eeks to go to finish „ P -Northern business, is a debacle in the market.

Seed Potatoes. Seed potatoes are still only in moderate demand. Now that better weather seems to ha\e set in, more general planting will take place, but the early crop is likely to be consideraoly later and smaller in quantity than usual. Quite possiblv the later crop may partly make up the deficiency.

Poor Quality Maize. The maize market is decidedly weak, a factor which tends to depress values being the inferior condition of much that comes from the Bay of Plenty. A merchant showed a Star representative some which had arrived at the wharf in a heated condition. lh e vendor asked that it be taken off his hands at a reduction, even j agreeing to accept 3/ a bushel, but the merchant declined, as the line was so bad as to be virtually unsaleable. The weekly Uisborne shipment arrived in satisfactory condition. Though local values are unUtered the market is weak, and likely to .'emam so in the near future, for a shipment of South African maize is expected to arrive at the end of the present month or early in November. Wheat Still Dear.

There is no alteration in the wheat market, which continues very firm. Supplies are ample in the meantime. The purchases made from Australia for this centre are likely to be shipped about the middle of the present month. Local merchants expect to have to import substantial quantities before next harvest is available. This should not b# necessary, tor if the Government statistics are even approximately reliable, the Dominion's crop, together with importations already made and arranged for, should be ample for all requirements.

Oats Advance. South Island quotations fiave considerably advanced as the result of inquiries for export. Although fresli sales have not been reported, the inquiry still persists, and there is a possibility of further business for shipment to England as well as to Australia. Local values have so far not been affected. For one thing under grade lines are largely bought for this market, and for another the demand is txceedingly limited. Chaff.

The chaff market ii exceptionally firm result of an Australian demand. .Definite business has been done, and it is reported that a line of 400 tons is to be dispatched from the South within the next week. It- is not often that market conditions permit such transactions as the freight is heavy on so bulky a line. The price is said to be 5/ better than current f.o.b. coastal Quotations. Should any substantial business follow this first order, local prices must eventually advance later on. Onions. Just at the moment onions are scarce. Merchants have been nervous about holding large quantities of Victorian, which have been giving a lot of trouble through their sprouting proclivities, and have been quitting their stocks, sometimes at a loss. There may be a shortage before the Aorangi arrives with a fair shipment of Canadian. It was reported a few weeks back that as a result of unfavourable weather in British Columbia this shipment might be reduced, but reassuring advices have since been received. The onions are being quoted to arrive at 17/6 in bags, and 19/ in cases ex wharf. When a possible shortage in delivery from Vancouver was indicafed, merchants covered with small purchases from California. These are coming forward by the Hauraki. However, there are not likely to be more arrivals from this source as the San Francisco market has recently advanced.

Bran and Pollard. A better demand exists for bran, of which there are ample stocks on hand. Though Southern shipments to Australia have been made it is understood the sales were on a basis well below local parity. For pollard there is a satisfactory demand and no scarcity of supplies. Wholesale Current Prices.

Sharps and Bran.—Local sharps, £8 5/ per ton; Australian, £9 10/; bran, £5 15/ per ton; oat pollard, £8 10/ per ton. Grain.—New Zealand oats: Seed, B Cartons, 4/3; A's, 4/6 per bushel. Wheat: New Zealand, 8/6 to 8/9. Maize: Ex store, 6/6; ex wharf, 5/6 per bushel. Barley: Feed, 5/9 per bushel; Cape seed, 7/6 per bushel. Maize meal: 16/6 per 1001b. Barley meal: 13/ per 1001b. Chaff.—Blenheim, g.b.0.a., £9 10/ per ton, ex store; Canterbury, £9 10/. Potatoes.—Table: Southern, £7 5/ per ton. Seed: Up-to-Date and Early Puritan, 9/ per cwt; Gamekeeper, Northern Star and Arran Chief, 7/; Early Rose, Beauty of Hebron, and Robin Adair, 12/. ' Onions.—Victorian, £10 per ton; repicked, £12; Canadian, in bags, 17/6; in cases, 19/.