GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7215, 28 November 1888, Page 3

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

At the date of our last monthly Summary this market was strong and improving for all lines of feeding grains, and throughout the past four weeks the feeling has become more accentuated, until values are now bordering 'on a state of inflation. Whilst the European markets were betraying signs of weakness, the drought in Australia was gradually but surely hardening the price of wheat, and holders here found it more to their advantage to turn their attention in that direction, with the result that thousands of sacks have been sold for Australian consumption at E rices which a few months ago would have een considered fabulous. If the advance in wheat for our neighbor's requirements has been almost unparalleled, the improvement in the price of oats has been still more extraordinary, and the quota* tions under-noted are simply nominal, owing to the disorganised state of the market. Speculation has once more wakened up for the first time for years past, and, although the drought in Australia is the ruling factor in advancing the value of oats, the former cause has a good deal to do with the famine prices now current. In sympathy with the attention paid to this cereal feed barley hae advanced, and lines neglected a few weeks ago are eagerly taken up. Peas are also in strong favor, but their scarcity militates against business, and the same remarks apply to beans. The demand for grass seed gradually subsided daring the month, at least so far as local requirements are concerned, bat an improved foreign enquiry bos been noticeable during the last few days. Potatoes were at a premium at the beginning of the month, but as this market is now completely exhausted, we have nothing further to report. Butter is in strong favor for export, bat supplies are not so plentiful as they should be at this time of the year.owing to the unseasonableweather which has prevailed of late. Old cheese is now oat of the market, while the newseason's is not yet fit for shipment. Throughout the month the weather has been cold and wet, and has retarded the growth of the growing crops very seriously. At the time of writing, however, warm seasonable weather has set in, and with its continuance should go far to remedy the effects of a backward season. The following are quotations of the day:— Wheat—Tuscan ia id Do.—Hunter'a and Pearl .. Is 2d to 4s 3d Chick wheat .. 3a6dto3s9d Oats— Milling ..Iβ Stout short feed .. 3s9dto3alod Barley—Feed Sβ 6d Beans 3e to 3s 3d Peas 3s3dto3s6d Ryegrass Is lQd to 2s 3d Are grass (machine dressed) 2s 91 to 3s Cocksfoot -. .. .. 2&to3d Flour, in sacks (stone) .. £11 Do. do. (roller) „ £12 Oatmeal £20 Pearl barley £20 Potatoes, in Christchurch .. Nominal Bran .. £510s Pollard .. ... ~ .. £5 Oat sheaf chaff.. _ „ M Oatstraw .. .. ~ £210 a Butter—Prime 84dto9d Cheese (old) .. _ - 4dto4Jd Do. (new) .. .. - 3»d Hams and bacon—ln cloth... 7jd Tie above prices are to.b at Lyttt-jjn.