GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 172, 23 July 1929, Page 4

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

POTATOES ADVANCE IN PRICE.

NOW £12 A TON

Just at the moment potatoes are short in the city and prices have advanced sharply in consequence. Fortunately the shortage will be of brief duration, as the Wingatui is due from the South on Thursday with 10.000 sacks. This substantial consignment is to be supplemented by another per the Kaiwarra on Monday. Up to £12 per ton ex store is being paid for sound tubers, and when the Wingatui arrives the price is expected to ease to about £10 10/. Of the Southern market the "Lyttelton Times" of Saturday says: — ''The potato market continues to be excited and prices have further advanced in the last few days. Whites are now worth from £6 5/ to £6 10/ a ton on trucks to farmers, and Dakotas £6 13/ to £7. These prices are equal to about £7 10/ f.0.b., s.i., for prompt and July delivery, for whites, and from £3 to £S 5/, f.0.b., s.i., for prompt and July Dakotas. August-September delivery of whites is quoted at from £7 17/6 to £8 a ton, f.0.b., s.i., and about the same for Dakotas. Thae wet wather has delayed delivery from the pits here and in South Canterbury, and difficulty will bo experienced in finding sufficient for the next boat to Auckland. E,ven with the improved prices farmers are not offering any great quantities and there does not seem to bo the quantity there to offer. There is nothing doing with seed just now and will not be until there is a spell of dry weather."

Onions Also Dear. There has been a sharp advance in the price of local onions amounting to 3/6 a cwt in the week. The few Pukekohe farmers who have held on to their stocks are now reaping the reward. Locals at the present time are bringing the same as the Japanese, namely 17/6 per cwt ex store. A further shipment of Japanese is expected next week and merchants are hoping they will be more matured than the first arrivals, which were on the soft side. Fowl Wheat. There is no change in the fowl wheat market. Ample supplies are available at 7/7 per bushel ex store. Oats and Chaff. The market for oats is stationary but the forward position seems to be firm. First-class oaten sheaf chaff is not overplentiful and satisfactory samples sell readily at £10 ex store. Maize Plentiful. Old maize is now practically a dead letter, except a limited quantity for grinding purposes. New season's is coming forward plentifully, both from the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne. Latest prices still hold but the market is weak and there may be reductions shortly. Present rates are 6/ per bushel ex wharf and 6/9 for small lots ex store. Of the position in Poverty Bay our Gisborne correspondent telegraphs:— "Orders booked some time ago for forward deliveries of maize have resulted in continued quietness of the market. Only small lines of new season's grain have been going forward, but although this has opened in excellent condition prices are not altogether satisfactory to growers. The bulk of supplies, however, are insufficiently mature for marketing." Bran and Pollard. There have been no changes in bran and pollard. Supplies are plentiful and the demand normal. Wholesale Current Prices. Sharps and Bran.—Mill prices: Sharps, £9 10/ per ton; bran, £3 per ton. Merchants' quotations, ex store: Southern and Australian pollard,' £10 10/ to £10 15/; bran, £8 10/. Oats.—Feed: B Gartons, 4/6 per bushel; A Gartons, 4/9; clipped Dunns, 6/3 to 6/6; clipped Algerians, 5/9; clipped Gartons, 5/3. Fowl Wheat. —7/7 per bushel. Maize.—Old, ex store, 7/; New season's, 6/9. Barley.—Feed, 5/9 per bushel. Seed: Cape barley, 6/0 per bushel. Maize ileal.—l4/6 per 1001b. Barley Meal—l 3/ per 1001b. Chaff.—G.b.o.s., £10 per ton, Blenheim or Canterbury. Potatoes.—Prime Canterbury, £12 per ton. Onions.—Local, 17/ to 17/6 per cwt; Japanese, 17/6.