MARKETS AT A GLANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 6

MARKETS AT A GLANCE

SATISFACTORY TRADING.

RICE MARKETS FIRM

XEW PRICES QUEENSLAND PINES

"Auckland Star" Office, Tuesday, March 7, 1939

Figures for the month of February have shown an excellent volume in' comparison with the previous month, and also with the same month of last year. Both wholesalers and retailers indicate that trade has been quite brisk during the past week, and altucugii opening bimineta; with merchants yesterday was inclined to be a little quieter than that of the previous week, quite satisfactory trading is anticipated. General News. Quite a number of packers of icing sugar are advising increases on their lines, some of which work out at approximately a 5 per cent advance.

The Internal Marketing Board advise new regulations in connection with the sale of honey commencing on March 1. These regulations provide for a special stamp in the form of a halfpenny stamp for each ha)£ pound, this being affixed to each tin or carton. Retailers will please note that it is illegal to s.-ll any honey over the counter without this stamp affixed to each container. This regulation applies to bulk honey also.

A well-known proprietary brand of toilet soap is being offered throughout the retail this week under a special scheme of a rebate on lots of two dozen at the end of six months. Another special pack i* available containing a free shampoo sample with each three cakes which are specially wrapped.

A line of locally manufactured tooth brushes has been relisted with a bonus of one free with every dozen tooth brushes ordered this month, and should have a special appeal to the trade.

Following on the announced shortage of certain types of preserving jars a few weeks ago, sufficient lids have been procured from Australia to execute immediate orders in hand. However, there »Pl>c-di->i to be no possibility of any new orders being executed before the end of March, by which time the semson will be finished and the manufacturers are only accepting orders strictly subject to their being able to supply.

According to latest advices further supplies of special jar lids only will not be available this season owing to shortage of supplies of raw i..aterial.

A well-known line of patent breakfast food that has been off the market for some considerable time is again available in small quantities only, and as a result retailers are being limited to lots of one dozen. A further popular breakfast fond line manufactured by the same packers is unfortunately still definitely unprocurable.

Due to the confusion sometimes experienced by the retail in ordering raw sugar, it should be noted that this i* packed in two grades—medium and litrlit —which should be specified when ordering.

A line of English cigarettes in tins is temporarily unprocurable for a few clays. A line of packet dates in 121Z packing is in short supply at present, <ind the next shipment will not be available until May to June arrival.

A brand of English golden syrup is now practically unprocurable, further supplies not being admitted under the recent Import Licensing Regulations.

Arrivals during the past week have been very quiet, the main lines to hand being consignments of bulk (ea. Two an/1 Three Crown sultanas and lexias, Australian rice, eucalyptus, lamp chimneys and desiccated coconyt by the Wanganella. K\- the Waiana from southern ports merchants received consignments of breakfast foods, rolled oats, oatmeal, soluble coffee in tins, proprietary brand ; tea, baking powder, custard powder, wax Snatches, aluminium paint, floor polish, etc. '

An increase in price by two packers of first grade honey is announced, amounting to approximately 10 per cent. Other grades remain unaltered. A small supply of Australian camp pies is still available, but. when this shipment is sold no further supplies will be admitted under the Import Licensing Regulations, Fruit Salad and Pineapple*. Reduced prices are announced to-day on Queensland pineapple and pineapple juice, which should make these offers more attractive than ever this season. Fruit salad shows a reduction of about 5 per cent on both the 16oz qnd 30oz sizes. Pineapples sliced are reduced Od and 3d per dozen respectively for the 16oz and 30oz sizes. Crushed. Od and 1/, tidbits 9d find 6d per dozen, pineapple juice 4d per dozen. All quotations are f.0.b.. and spread shipment has been extended this year up to November to enable coverage under buyers' second import license. Rice. Latest cables advise that the market for Rangoon rice has shown a further increase of £5 per ton. This is the second advance within a few weeks, and the market is very firm. Siam rice has also experienced n similar increase tin's week. A further price incrense in both Siam and Rangoon markets is anticipated very shortly. Due to the drought conditions the Australian market has been advanced by £3 per ton during the week with only small supplies available. Tt is expected that stock conditions will be slightly easier about May when the new crop comes to hand. This market is particularly firm at the recent advance. Walnut Meat. Latest cables received from Tientsin indicate that supnlies of light amber walnut halves are exhausted. In this particular case shipment is to be made this month only, and the following types are still available: light halves and pieces, light amber pieces, amber halves and pieces. The market is steady at present quotations, which are considered quite attractive. Dried Apricots. The Australian Dried Fruits Control Board advise that the total tonnage of dried apricots available for this year has now been almost fully booked. As the heavy import period is during the second six months of the year, it is not anticipated that further supplies will be available for the New Zealand trade. Advices are to the effect that there will be no supplies of o-Crown fancv dried apricots or 5-Crown choice available this year. Dried Vine Fruits. Advices received from the Dried Fruit Control Bo'ard indicate that the harvesting of the new season's crop of vine fruits is proceeding normally and that the quality of currants is expected to be fine. Tt is. however, anticipated that the supply of sultanas will be about 20 per cent short on last year's tonnage. Opening prices are expected to be telegraphed very shortly. The view is that this advice has been sent to allay any fears of serious daniage to shortage of crops consequent upon abnormal climatic conditions in certain areas recently. Whether this shortage will affect opening prices is not known at the moment. Caraway Seeds. Dutch caraway seeds have recently been firming in price, to-day's quotation being 7/ per hundredweight higher than at the end of last year. Cashew Kernels. Recent quotations for Cashew kernels show a reduction of 6/ per hundreweight and in sympathy with most other lines the market at the present time is a little weak. New Zealand Canned Peaches. One of the largest distributors; of New Zealand canned fruits advise that due to a combination of conditions beyond canpers' control, the Nelson pack of peaches is running 50-50 halves and slices, in con-

sequence of which it will be necessary to make deliveries in the same proportion of certain brand*. It will not be until the pack is finished (probably a month) before it is known whether the proportion of sliced can be increased, but meantime,the indications are that confirmation will necessarily have to be on the basis of equal quantities of halves and slices. The e .tuning of Cling stone peaches in Hawke's Bay will not commence for about another fortnight, and it is too early yet to express an opinion of the prospects as regards the proportion of halves and slices that will be available. Wzinuts. London shippers advise a reduction of approximately 10 per cent on supplies of Indian walnuts. It it* not anticipated, however, that thee will be muc.li interest in this line un',:l t'te.gECond half or the year, when nut \;;\c; a"e usually imported for the Christmas ti: - d>. Import licences do not yet appear to be available for this period. Sicily Filbert Nuts. Cables received from Lomh n during the last week advise a reduction of approximately 10 per cent on Sicily filbert nuts. Xot much interest is expected to be taken in this line as supplies are ugmlly bought for Christmas trade, and therafore importations will be made on the next licensing period. Sicily Almonds. Quotations for Sicily almonds have been reduced 4/ per hundredweight for the past week. This market is particularly erratic at the present time. Wholesale Current Prices. - Butter.—First grade pats. I !Va per lb; first grade bull;, 1 "<% per I'd; second grade pats. 1 i' 4 per lb; second grade bulk, i.'l'i per lb; whey pats, 1, 3% per lb. Cheese.—F.xpovt, 80's: Crate lots. !)%d per lb: less. Kid per lb. .M.-dium. 40".<: Crate lots, IDd per lb; less. lliUd per lb. 2(J - s: Crate hits. ll)',-id per lb; less, 10% d per lb net. Loaf; Crate lotH, lid per lb net; less, I P.■id per lb net. Bacon.-Mam. 1/2 per lb: rolled bone-! ham. 1, J'.'i per lb; cooked whole ham. I 1/fi per lb; cooked rolled ham, 1/8 per lb; I cooked pressed ham. 1 !) per 11); bacon sides. 1/o'4 per lb; rolled middle*. 1/3 per! lb; laid, bulk, 8.1 per lb; pats, Ud per lb; dripping, pats, 4'/id per lb. Honey.— First grade: lib cartons, 10/6 i per dozen; 21b tins, 20,6 per dozen; 51b i tins, 5)/ per dozen. Second grade: 111) j cartons, 0/3 per dozen; 211) thus, 18/ per | dozen; nib tins, 43/6 per- dozen. Third' grade; lib cartons. 8/ per dozen; 21b tins,! 15/6 per dozen; 51b tins, 38/9 per dozen. Flour.—Local: 20011) sacks. £14 1.1/0 per ton; 100's, £15 12/6 per ton; 50's. £15 ! 17/6 per ton; 2os. £16 7/6 per ton; 12'/i's, | £17 per ton; OVi's, £17 17/6 per ton. j Malt.—duelled, 11/3 per bushel: whole' white, 11/ per bushel; whole black, 12/6 per bushel.