GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 4

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

ONIONS SCARCE AND DEAR.

POTATOES GETTING CHEAPER.

The only line which is causing local grain and produce merchants any concern at present is onions, which are in exceedingly short supply. Merchants over-ordered from Canada last year, and some suffered losses in consequence. This season they were over-cautious and ordered sparingly, relying i upon partial -assurances that they could supplement their orders later on. Events, however, have moved contrariwise. The Canadian its well as the Californian market rose, and supplementary orders even at the higher prices could not be confirmed for lack of shipping space. It is reported that the Aorangi, due on Monday, will only bring a small quantity, even the original restricted orders having been curtailed. Stocks on spot are exceedingly scarce, and as'much as 40/ per cwt crate, ex store, is being asked, which is just double the price charged at this time last year. i A few Australian havp been landed but they were old season's, and the condition is not dependable. Victorian new season's will not be available until the first week in December. Potatoes. Stocks of old potatoes in the city are not large but they are sufficient for the demand, which daily becomes less as new Season's are increasingly available. The price has Been reduced £1 a ton to £12. Couceming next season's crop the "Lyttelton Times- says:— "For next season's potatoes merchants are offering £3 10/ a ton on trucks, April delivery, which is equivalent to £5 f.o.b. Not much of this forward business is being done. For one thing, growers are not prepared to accept the price offering. It is certainly on the low side, even for "off the forks." With old potatoes scarce all over the Dominion, Pukekohe merchants are doing a brisk business at satisfactory prices, the latest, quotations being 23/ to 24/ per cwt on trucks. As the result of continued showery weather last week the ground is-in good planting condition, and seed potatoes are still being sold. Oats and Chaff. The ,oats market is unaltered though the tendency is to firmness, and offerings arc restricted. B Gartons are still selling at 4/8 per bushel, f.o.b. Chaff is dearer in the South, quotations having been advanced 7/0 per ton during the past fortnight. The dry weather in Canterbury, recently ended by useful rains, is said to be the cause. Local quotations are firm at £9 10/ per ton, ex store.

Wheat., The price of wheat is steady at 7/9 per bushel. Local merchants are becoming reconciled to the fact that, though wheat is undoubtedly plentiful in the South, growers and merchants there are holding firmly enough to keep the price up. i'he uncertainty as to what next season's yield may be is inducing some to hold their stocks in view of a possible shortage. It is estimated that the area sown for the coming harvest is not so large as it was last year, and it can scarcely be expected that the present abnormal yield per acre will again be reached. Malis. There is no alteration in the maize mar- ! ket. Suppliers are coming freely from Gisborne, as merchants there, recognising that they would have to bring their price down "in order to do business, reduced their early quotations by sixpence per bushel. Waikato is being: supplied direct by rail from the Bay of Plenty, and the bulk of the maize for this centre now cbmes from Poverty Bayl " l Bran and Pollard. Both these lines are in ample supply, and quotations are unaltered. Wholesale Current Prices. Sharps and priocs: Sharps, £9 10/ per ton; bran, £8 per ton. Merchants' quotations, ex store: Pollard, £10 .5/; bran, £& 10/; oats, feed, B Gartons, 4/8, A Gartons, 5/ per bushel; clipped Dunns, 6/9; clipped Gartons, 5/6; seed Algerians, 6/; fowl wheat, 7/9 per bushel; maize, hew season, 6/6, ex store; barley, feed, 5/9 per bushel; Cape barley, seed, 6/6 per bushel; main meal, 14/ per 1001b; barley meal, 13/ per 1001b. Chaff.—G.b.o.*., £9 10/ per ton, Blenheim or Canterbury . . . ~ Potatoes.—Canterbury, £12 per ton. Seed Lines.—Northern Star and Gamekeeper, 8/6 to 9/ per cwt. Onions.—Canadian, 40/ per crate.