MARKETS AT A GLANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 4

MARKETS AT A GLANCE

BRISK WHOLESALE TRADING.

MUSCATELS ARRIVE

PILCHARDS WITHDRAWN. "Auckland Star" Office, Tuesday, October 5. Wholesale distributing merchants report that business has been very brisk during tho past week, and with-trade opening up well yesterday a continuation of the present active conditions is expected.

General News. By steamer last week the first of the new season - * shipment of Australian nuiecaU-U came to hand. Although consignments this year are fairly early for supplies against the Christmas demand there is always a. steady sale for fresh muscatels for certain classes of trade, and «* the quality is excellent this arrival is expected to be very acceptable to the public generally.

Due to the lnjjher cost, of tin, in addition to the unusually firm market over-Bt-as lor tea, one line of lib tannietoiti hus been advanced to tho retail by one penny per |b.

Kx the .Montcrcy last week merchant; Vecciwd a fairly h,,.,,. eonsi-uiiicnt 01 Piunes, which arc expected to no into distribution njrht away, as the demand just at 1 iwent is exceediiiKly brisk. A* a result thi s arrival is expected to just about eater for the requirements of the trade until the next shipment comics to hand. By the same vessel merchants received coiisitrninent.s ot bulk raisins, packets «eedcd and needhvs raisins, which are in Iceon demand jiist at jircscnt.

A fnirly lai-jjo of canned apricots, poaches ami pens have juxl come to hand from Australia, as well as further supplies of Mililura s;i!t ina« and ciirrantK. also 12n/, and ICiw fveeiU-d Lexia raisins. Tho demand for canned fruit has lipimi exceedingly yi>od lately, and-due to the heavy retail commitment* substantial consi)inment« are landing, with supplies cxpect-ed to bo in fairly short compass before the end of the v-car.

A new and very attrictive line of chewinir sum with rive popular flavours assorted to the box is beiii.' offered In tlu- trade tliis wfM'k. The quality and llavom-s a-e particularly (rood, and a vrvv reidy coiwiiiner respoiiKe h anticipated. A line of Kiijilit-h n i] and rii'lisliiiisr inoiw are beiiii.' i-ff-n-d t<. Mi- trade ]rv. a -:, • i .1 r< per cent trade discount for a li-iiil>d period. As the se.won of peak demand is ■ ii-.*-, conimencii-T live refailei-s will Lake full advantage of the offer.

The boniw offer operntinjj during f!" , list month on n well-known brand of peanut butter has now bc>n withdrawn. A well-known brand of Knalwh tobn-.-, is now being offered to the trade ill 2'i!b tins foretifi hwwo a' M per n-inm below tho original 10/ anil 2 v packings'.

Arrivals to hand from overseas and coastal ports during the past week comprise consignments of infants' food and emulsion, boot polish, breakfast cerea'.-i. tobacco, cleaning and disinfectant powders, floor nnliwh. table salt both plain and iodised, chewing cum. l's and V£V packet arrowroot. sliced and halve peaches. apricots and nenrs. ~>fetv matclies. mince meat, sandwich fillin'K.

ienrettcp. 2 and 3-Ornwn Australian sultnnn«, also 1 and 2-Crown currants. seeded Lex ; i raisins in 120/ and l"s r*ped"d mcket.«. 281 b 4-C'rown dried apricots. 12oz and l's packets muecntelgi, tea, etc.

Pilchards. Following on the advices received a few weeks ago to withdraw quotations on pilchards, agents received further quotations reopening the line for sale, subject to pack and pro rata delivery. Considerable business was done'immediately, and now further advices are to hand statinsr that fitocks are completely exhausted, and a« ,1 result all priwe havo been witlidrawn. The business done on the last offer has been confirmed on a baeis of subject to pack. etc.

Salmon. MV>st packers now advise the withdrawal of prices on all varieties of Chums' and C'ohoe salmon. In view of the pack figures recently received it appears that pinks will follow suit very shortly. A mail report just to hand emphasises the probable shortage of salmon this year, and it is considered more than likely that stocks of Sockeve and Pinks will be exhausted in the very near future.

Coconut. Thp market for deeiccated coconut is particularly firm just at present, cables lioinc received by ajrents to advance prices approximately £1 per ton. Pepper. The market for pepper i« firm in last reports received. Mail advices indicate that thitf line is firmer, due to the good price*! offering in Batavia for Muntok. Moderate quantities of the new crop have arrived, but there is no pressure, to sell, and it fieeme unlikely that prices will decline very much for the present. Nutmegs and Mace. Mail advices indicate that thie market has shown an upward trend diiriiiff the past few month*), the increased demand from Hamburg causing a rii«e during the past few days prior to the mailing of this report of about l%d per lb. If, as soems probable, the German demand continues, still higher prices may be expected. Supplies of all grades are scarce, but with firm orders to work on limited quantitim can still be procured. Mace has also firmed up in sympathy, but there is little business being done at present. Pineapples.

With the exception of slight fluctuations in some packs, pineapple quotations remain unchanged from the previous week's otters. Mail advices state that the demand from the United Kingdom has fallen off since the end of last month, but ne fruit supplies are now vei-y small the market is expected to continue firm. The first of the crop of the winter season is not expected until towards the end of October, and packers have therefore a few weeks yet to liquidate their stocks before packing will be resumed 011 a considerable scale. A firm market with an upward tendency ia expected.

Burma Rice. A mail report from Rangoon reviewing the period ending September 14, states that the market to-day is at about the same level us it was when last writing on August 24. In the meantime, due to the weight of September speculative rise, the market registered a decline at the end of August amounting to about 3d per cwt. At the lower level, and with the large premium ruling for forward positions, speculators considered it would be more advantageous to them to mill up and hold 'the ready rice rather than to sacrifice it at a loss. This attitude had a steadying effeet on the market and it gradually recovered to its previous level. The demand generally has fallen away during the period under review, and there is now very little doing in any market. Prices, however, keep remarkably steady and the | offtake remains at a high level. The total quantity of rice and rice products ex- ( ported up to date amounts to 2,520.990 j tons, leaving a balance of 379,004 tons available for export. Brisling. Agents for a well-known brand of biis-1 ling advise that the present prices hold' only for shipment up to December 31, and while any further increase is not anticipated after that date, reports to hand show that there may again be difficulty regarding stocks, for catches have not nearly increased in proportion to the improvement in sales, all markets ordering more than in former years. The selling season in New Zealand commences shortly, so buyers would be well advised to consider their stocks, so that they will not be disappointed if supplies are not available in the summer period, and later the Lenten season, when there is definitely a big increase in sales. ,

South African Dried Apricots. London advises quotations for South African dried apricots' have declined 7/6 per cwt in the past week for direct shipment from London. It is not anticipated, however, that there will be great interest on the local market as the heavy selling period is now over. Sicily Almonds. Tho market for Sicily almonds has shown a. sharp decline of 15/ per cwt in cables received during the week. All booking has, however, already been done for Christmas requirements. Shelled Brazil Kernels. After advancing Id per lb, quotations for shelled Brazil kernels have this week been reduced again by %d per lb. Values arc, however, still very high, and most importers are now waiting for new season's quotations for delivery next year. Para Brazil Nuts. With regard to Para Brazil nuts for shipment from Knglund, the price of these at the present time is ruling particularly firm, the market having advanced a further 2/ per cwt. Most merchants have. however, purchased their Christmas requirements ;it reasonable levels.

Wholesale Current Prices. Butter.—Finest grade, 1/2V6 per lb; filtst grade factory, 1/2%; s«n:ond grade factory, 1/1%; whey, 1/1%. Cheese.—Kxport (80'sJ, crate lots B%d (ier lb net, less 9d per lb net; medium I4()'s), crate lots <Jd per lb net, less 'JV*d per lb net; (20' si, crate lots 9V4d per lb net, k-cw !)%d per lb not; loaf crate lote 10d i)er lb net, less l()\id per lb net.

li.iroii.— Ham, 1/2 per lb; rolled bonelrris ham, 1/4; cooked whole ham, 1/6; cooked rolled ham, 2/; cooked " pressed ham. 1 0: bacon sides, 1/OV6; rolled sides. 1 L'H; rolled middles, 1/3%; lard, bulk. !>d per lb; pats, 9d; dripping pats, 4'/£<l per lb.

Linseed.-- Crushed, 20/ C per lOOlb; whole. 20. 0 per cwt.

Flour.—Local, 2001b sacke, £14 15/6 per ton; lOO's, £15 12/6; JO's, £15 17/0; 2oe, £16 7/0; 12V 2 's, £17; 6Vs, £17 17/6.

Malt.—Crushed, 11,3 per bushel; whole white, 11/; whole black, 12/6. milestone. —13/6 per cwt.