GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 231, 30 September 1930, Page 4

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

POTATOES ARE CHEAPER,

AUSTRALIAN BARLEY ARRIVES,

Stocks of Southern potatoes are very plentiful on the local markets at present, and, with steadily increasing pressure from home grown, values have definitely weakened. Merchants are now quoting £6 10/ to £6 15/ per ton, ex store. Latest reports from Pukekohe are. to the ! effect that general digging in that centre will commence in about a fortnight s timt. Frosts have interfered with a percentage of the crop, but the damage has not been severe or general, and the only result has been to delay maturity in the affected areas. It is probable that the output from the famous "early potato patch , will be well up to former years. t Onions. There are still plenty of onions_ available at reasonable prices for the time o year, purchasers having as their principal choice Australian repicked or California!!, with Canadians due in a week s time. Prices are Unaltered. Wheat and Maize. Wheat values are unaltered at 8/ per bushel. Maize also is unchanged, and is selling steadily at 6/2 to 6/3 per bushel, ex store. Concerning the Poverty Bay market our Gisborne correspondent telegraphs as follows: — The maize market so far as Gisßbrne is concerned is etill inactive, the reduction of price demanded from growers not yet having had any appreciable effect. It is hoped, however, that tho reduction in retail prices will stimulate consumption and .make business possible without any further concessions by producers. Cheaper Barley. Barley from South Australia, free of duty, has now arrived, and is selling at the comparatively low rate of 5/ for the 501b bushel. The variety is Chevalier, which is particularly suitable for poultry. However, the demand so far is chiefly for pig food, as many poultry feeders are prejudiced against using barley as a main, line. Barley meal has been reduced to 11/ per hundred. Oats and Chaff. With an abundance of green feed available the demand for oats and chaff is falling off. Prices are unaltered, with B Garton oats selling at 4/9 per bushel, Canterbury chaff at £10 10/. and Tasmanian at £9 10/ to £10. Supplies are plentiful. Bran and Pollard. Aβ announced earlier in the week the price of pollard has dropped £1 per ton to £7 10/. It is occasionally sold below this figure, as there is a certain amount of cutting going on. The lower rates do not eeem to have stimulated sales, as the reduction has come too late to materially benefit the_ farmers. Bran is plentiful with quotations unchanged. Fertilisers. During the latter part of September there has been a fair amount of spring topdressing throughout the province, but, owing to the spring being somewhat earlier this year, this work has not been carried out to the same extent as formerly. The chief fertilisers need have been high grade super, basic-super, ammoniatcd super and complete grass mixtures. It is expected there will be a fair demand throughout October for all lines covering topdressing, cropping, orchard requirements and market gardening. Manufacturers and merchants arc holding ample stocks of all lines to meet this demand. On the question of topdressing the Department of Agriculture now recommens phosphatic topdressing, with highgrade super in November and early December to increase the late summer and early autumn growth of grass. There is little doubt that if weather conditions arc satisfactory during this period, farmers will follow this advice, which will mean a fair demand for high-grade super phosphate and other phosptaatic lines during the latter part of the year. Shipments arriving during the next week or two include the e.s. Antiope about the 3rd prox. from Casablanca, with North African phosphate, and the s.s. Rhymney about the 10th from tho Seychelles Group with Seychelles guano. Wholesale Current Prices. Pollard and Bran.—Mill prices: Pollard, £7 10/ per ton; bran, £8 per ton. Merchants' prices: Australian pollard, £7 10/ per ton; bran, £8 10/. Oats.—Feed: B Gartous 4/9 per bushel, A Gartons 4/11, clipped Duns 6/9, clipped Algerians, 6/6, clipped Gartons 5/5. Fowl Wheat.—B/ per bushel. Maize.—Local, 6/2 to # 6/3 per bushel, ex store. Barley.—Feed, 5/ per bushel. Seed: Cape barley, 6/0 per bushel. Maize Meal.—l 3/ per 1001b. Barley Meal.—ll/ per 1001b. Chaff.—G.b.o.s., £10 10/ per ton, Blenheim or Canterbury; Tasmanian, £9 10/ in hessian bags, £10 in New Zealand sacks. Potatoes.—Table, £6 10/ to £6 15/, ex store. Seed: Gamekeepers, Northern Star and Arran Chief, 7/. Onions. — Australian, repicked, 15/; Californian, 19/ C a bag, 21/ a case; Canadian (to arrive), 16/6 per bag.