MARKETS AT A GLANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 273, 17 November 1936, Page 4

MARKETS AT A GLANCE

, BUSY CONDITIONS. i ' DECEMBER DELIVERIES COMMENCE THIS WEEK-END. i SUGAR PRICES ADVANCED. i "Auckland Star" Office, Tuesday, November 17, 1936. All wholesale grocery merchants have been experiencing exceptionally busy conditions throughout the past week, and from the way mail orders ate coining to hand every day it looks as if all distributing houses will have a heavy rush from now on right up to Christmas. General News. A further factor in the busy conditions being experienced is that merchants advised the trade yesterday that they are now accepting business for December > account, deliveries commencing to the i country districts and all towns served by - rail and service wagons on Friday, 20th, > and in the town area on the following . Monday. Already merchants are experiencing a ; definite shortage on many items of Chxistmas specialty lines, liuts and almonds particularly being exceptionally short. The stock position of muscatels is also ' expected to be exceedingly difficult as ! Christmas approaches. Late information indicates that there is no possibility of Californian shipments arriving here in time for Christmas trade, and to prevent ! any possibility of shipments arriving after that date when there would be practically ; no sale, the majority of merchant houses are now cancelling their indents. _ Practically all Australian packers are in the position of being unable to offer further supplies, which brings merchants to the 5 position of having to rely oil any available ' stocks in hand, and also on any late orders ! that might come through during the next r few weeks. j Due to the shortage of nut lines, a heavy . demand has been experienced foi supplies | of walnut meat, with the result that merchants anticipate this line will be well cleaned up long before fresh consignments ' come along. ; A line of mixed cut fruits has been in constant demand from the retail trade during the past few months, and is selling I exceptionally well just now, being particu- ; larly suitable for rise in Christmas j puddings, cakes, etc. ' Further interest is being taken in • merchants' offers of tinned prunes —s's ' Californian and 7's Australian, which are ' being offered in both 70/80's and 40/50 s . sizes. : Tinned meats are also selling particu- . larly well just at present, the most im- ' portant seller at the moment being sheep's 1 tongues, which are selling very readily. Canned fruit is, selling particularly well, ' and it is apparent that the retail are endeavouring to cover their stock position in order not to get caught short just prior to the last few weeks before Christmas. Preserving jar sales have been fairly light so far, but during the next week or two t the demand is expected to increase as ; householders will be requiring supplies for > the early fruit. Stocks of new season s : rubber rings have just been landed, and prices compare favourably with merchants i offers of last year. Selling well at this time are cordials, ; fruit extracts, essences, peels, etc. ) The forward position in prunes according to latest reports is most delicate owing ' to the lack of supplies and th-j inability ' of merchants to secure from America any further shipments for some time. Local stocks of dried peaches are ; exhausted in a number of quarters, and > dried apricots are also getting short. At this time of the year the demand for these . lines is at its peak iperiod, and from the fact that further supplies are unavailable meantime, a shortage of all these lines seems inevitable. In apricots, three-crown grade and slabs are the only types available just at present. , , Tinned sweet corn has been short, but . small consignments of l's and 2 s cans which came to hand a„few days ago lia\e proved very welcome. Merchants have been advised that the bonus of one free to the dozen on a popular line of jelly crystals has now been . withdrawn. . A slight weakening on opening rates lor new season's Chum salmon has been noted, the ratch of this grade being heavier than was cxpccted. . . , Tobacco distributors are offering Uinstt mas packings in cigarettes and cigars, and -| as these are generally conservatively 1 stocked by the wholesale, the trade would - I be well advised to book their requirements I I of these lines as early as possible, as the ? demand is expected to be heavier than ' usual this year. ' ' With the warmer weather now being 1 experienced, sales of liquid Hj killeis. 1 powders and sprays have shown a genera ' all round improvement. Ihe demand ? during the next few months is expected to be very heavy. Specialty lines such as fruit extract. 1 mandarin oranges, pineapple juice, canned 2 cherries, crab meat, etc.. are all items • that are selling well at this time. ~ Sicily almonds in most quartets aie 1 now sold right out. Advices received from Australian nulleis J indicate that the rice market is steady, 1 quotations being the same as those of the ? previous month. , Some packers advise that stocks of blacK . currant jam are now exhausted. Strawberry is also in very short supply, and the} 1 are unable to fulfil retailers orders. 5 Shippers of spices from the West Indies 1 indicate that supplies of Pimento are not obtainable, and it does not seem "kel> 1 from information to hand that there will " be any change in the position until about j; the end of 15)37. . . t Australian stocks of raw ginger of all t descriptions are now very low, and there E i, no possibility of further supplies arriv--1 ing before May-June next. Quotations for mace and nutmegs are >' higher owing to scarcity of supplies from e the country of origin. \ustralian stocks ot sunflower seed are • practicallv exhausted, no further quanti--1 ties arriving until some time in Decemr position of canary seed is getting 1 rather acute, although the market tor Argentine is fractionally easier Advices - from a number of quarters indicate that i crop prospects are poor in other couul tries. It is expected to have effect on e prices later on. , ? Millet seeds of all descriptions, as veil p as hemp 600(1, is available at tlic moment 1 at reasonable rates. Arrivals from overseas and also irom f coastal ports during the past week comprise consignments of English tobacco in various cuts and sizes, both cigarette and pipe, bulk cornflour, packet English cornflour, essence of rennet in U-pmt and h- » pint sizes, medicinal salts, chewing gum, . tinned lied herrings. Norwegian sardines ' in %'s and l-16ths, English safety matches, . 1 Swedish kraft paper in rolls and flats, ' starch, wax vestas, breakfast foods, pro- : prietarv brands of tea, crab meat, tliree- • crown currants, 7's natural figs, 30 s mats r figs. Smyrna sultanas (three and fivecrown grades), one-crown currants, vegetable extract, sweet corn, cherries in • tins, camp pies, canned fruits in halves and sliced peaches and halves apricots, etc., etc. Sugar. r Advices have been received from the .Colonial Sugar Company that all grades of sugar, both refined, coarse and other types, have been increased by 10/ per ton. Quotations for both golden syrup and treacle are unchanged. Salmon. Agents for salmon packers are in receipt of cabled advice from their principals to the effect that there has been a t particularly heavy pack this year of the lower grades of salmon in British Columbia. This has had the result of all packers cabling slight reductions in Chum e salmon, which will probably be made e available by local agents almost immediately. Dried Fruits. Agents are in receipt of advice from the Commonwealth Dried Fruit Control Board to the effect that their prices for sultanas and currants will be the same for November shipment as current rates, subject, of course, to supplies being available.

Resin. ' The market for resin is showing considerable firmness, shippers quotations ' now having reached a very high l ev y; French grades have been particularly active and in the last two weeks prices I have advanced by a further £3 per ton. ' A fair amount of French has been bough ■ for early shipment, this being largely .due ' | to the fact that shipment can be obtained promptly, while delivery of American I grades are likely to suffer considerable j delay as a result of the maritime strike ! that is now being experienced on the I Pacific Coast. Canary Seed. The market on Argentine canary seed is . a little easier in cables received lately, . quotations now being listed at a reduction of 10/ per ton. On this basis additional | business has been put through for x eb- . ruary/March shipment. Pineapples. There is little to report on the market for Singapore pineapples, most grades remaining fairly steady, with the exception of second quality cubes and slices, which | are now listed at an increase of 1/2U and ; Id per dozen respectively. , Pepper. Quotations for pepper continue to fluc- . tuate, cables received last week showing ;an increase of J ,4d per lb on all grades. Tapioca. 1 The market for tapioca remains steady ' and featureless, with quotations somewhat ' easier to the extent of 3d per cwt on small pearl sago, lVad per cwt on Penang 1 seed and 3%d per cwt on medium pearl > tapioca. Business is quiet at the moment, i most of the requirements for the coming : direct steamer having already been finali ised when quotations were listed at a ; more attractive level. Desiccated Coconut. ; The market for desiccated coconut is ! still showing a firming tendency. Quota- , tions on this lino have been gradually I advancing over a considerable period. , During the past week a .further two ; advances have been recorded, s Wholesale Current Prices. Butter. —Finest grade, booked, 1/2% per lb and 1/2 for prompt cash; first grade ■ factory, booked, 1/2 and 1/1% for prompt ; cash; second grade factory, 1/1% and 1/1 ; for prompt cash; whey, 1/1 and 1/0 V& for [ prompt cash. i Cheese.—Export (80's), B%d per lb; medium (40's), B%d; first quality (20's), B%d; loaf, 9d. Honey.—Bulk white, s'/id per lb; light ' amber, 4%d. ■ Bacon. —Ham, 1/2 per lb; rolled bone- " less ham, 1/4; cookcd whole ham, 1/6; 1 cooked rolled ham, 1/7; cooked pressed ham, 1/8; bacon sides. ll%d; rolled sides, 1 1/1; rolled middles, 1/2; pressed shoulders, 1 1/1; lard, bulk, 8d; pats, 9d; dripping, sd. * Linseed. —Crushed, 16/9 per 1001b; ' whole, 16/6 per cwt. Flour.—Local: 2001b sacks, £14 15/6 per ' ton; 100's, £15 12/6; 50's. £15 17/6; 25's, ' £16 7/6; 12Mi's, £17; £17 17/6 ! Malt.—Crushed, 10/3 per bushel; whole white, 9/6; whole black, 11/6. ■ Bluestone. —28/6 per cwt.