SOUTHERN MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 4

SOUTHERN MARKETS.

PRODUCE IN CANTERBURY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The business .passing on tlae local grain market is still very limited. The prices for wheat remain unchanged. One or two samples of new wheat found their way on to the market this week, and wheat is being offered fairly freely for forward delivery, but buyers are not readily found. There seems to be a fairly general opinion that the quality of the new wheat will be equal to that o? last year, but that the yield will be up to five bushels an acre i "less. Old wheat continues to move off steadily. To-day's pool prices remain at 5/9 for Tuscan, ,6/ for Hunters, and 6/3 1 for Pearl, on trucks. The pool price for fowl wheat is 6/2 f.0.b., but with the advent of the new •crop this price is expected to drop. The demand for fowl wheat has already eased off a little. A few samples of new oats are coming on to the market. For a line of B grade Gartons 3/5 on trucks was offered, but the grower declined to accept it. There is no sign of any A grade Gartons so far. A few lines of Dunns have been sold as high as 4/6 on trucks, but Algerians have brought up to 4/ on trucks. The stoi<cs are practically clear of old oats, and the new season's crop will come on to bare boards. Old season's chaff is very scarce.' It is worth £5 15/ a ton, on trucks, for prompt delivery, while new season's is quoted at £4 10/ on trucks. The onion market is quiet. There is no inquiry from the North Island at present. The shipment of onions for Vancouver, to which reference was made last week, will be sent an April. The crops are looking well. To-day's quotation -is £5 a ton on trucks, for prompt delivery, and £3 10/ to £3 15/ on trucks for April-May-June. The small seeds market still lacks animation. Some white clover was sold during the week at 8d and 9d per lb on trucks. There lias been a little inquiry for red clover, and a few tons were sold as between merchant and merchant, but the pricj remains the same to farmers, namely, 4d to 5d per lb. Good Plains cocksfoot is worth 8d to B%d, Akaroa machine-dressed 13% d • and farmers' dressed lines Sd to 9d. Italian and Western Wolths are worth 4/6 a bushel, on trucks, although a little higher has been paid for special lines. Good lines and perennial are quoted at 5/ to 5/3 a bushel. THE WHEAT YIELD. LIGHTER CROPS EXPECTED. REAPING BEING SPEEDED UP. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. • Reports from reliable sources from many parts of Canterbury show that_ the wheat yield this season will be considerably'lower than last year, in some eases to the extent of well over ten bushels to the acre. Proctically no threshing has been dene yet a.s the wet weather in January helped to delay ah already late harvest. Reaping is being pushed forward now with all speed, and it will be a weak or two yet before the first of the threshing returns are sent in. Well-known wheatgrowers throughout Canterbury have been asked to collect information regarding the probable yields per acre in their districts, together.with a comparison of the actual yields off the same farms last season. Though there are a number of returns yet to come dn, those already in band point to a much lower yield per acre, particularly in North Canterbury. This has been due mainly to an abnormally wet season. Portions of autumn-sown crops were drowned out in the wet weather, and then a. very, dry spring seriously checked growth on the lighter lands. Crops on this class of land have improved .out of all knowledge since the wet spell in January, which. delayed the harvest. DUNEDIN QUOTATIONS. DUNEDIN, Friday. Conditions are steady so far as the produce markets aTe concerned. Millers are not displaying much interest in the wheat market at present. Quotations rule at 5/9, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings, for Tuscan, 5/11 for Hunters, and ■up to 6/2 for Velvet. The fowl wheat market iss firm on account of supplies being short in Dunediu. Merchants have to draw from Canterbury for then- requirements. Up to 0/ a sacks extra, is the current quotation in Canterbury, this pricc being equal to 6/6, ex truck, Dunodin, for prompt delivery. of the year than has been tbe case for a Stocks of oats are lighter at this period number of years. Sales of A grade Gartons ■ have been anade for prompt delivery at 4/ f.0.b., s.i., and this price is being asked by forward Boilers for spread delivery, April .to September. The current value of A grade prompt delivery, is 3/3 a bushel, sacks extra, on. trucks, and 3/ for B graded The demand for chaff continues quiet, with prices unchanged. The only interest being displayed in potatoes is on the forward selling basis. Odd lots have been sold in the district at £5, on trucks, sacks included, forward delivery. The local demand for ptompt delivery is for small lots only, and these ;are selling at £8 10/ a ton, sacks included, ex trucks.