GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKET.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9669, 6 March 1897, Page 6

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKET.

Friday Evening.

Latest cable advices record a recovery in the English wheat market to the extent of 6d per quarter. In Victoria, purchases have been made in some of the country districts on millers' accounts at a slight advance on late quotations, equivalent to 5s 9_;d to 5s lOd Melbourne. The market is firm but business is restricted, as farmers are not anxious to sell at present rates. The Assistant Government Statist, Mr J. J. Fenton, estimates the quantity of wheat available in Victoria for consumption during the year 1897 at 7,238,220 bushels. The Sydney market is quiet, and continues to be well supplied with Californian wheat. Latest advices from San Francisco state that tonnage could probably be obtained there on a basis of about 9s to Sydney, so that with present prices the Californian exporter can do a profitable trade. When the late mail left San Francisco the Drama-is was loading for Sydney, and recently another cargo for April-May shipment was placed in Sydney >on private terms. The Adelaide market is well supplied with small farmers' lots, Riverina and the Caithnesshire's Californian cargo; but it is anticipated that Sydney ; millers will again become purchasers in the course of a few weeks, and with the assistance of Melbourne traders the prices, if | nothing unforeseen happens, may probably improve. Referring to South Australia, it may be mentioned that the Caesablanca sailed from San Francisco ! for Adelaide on January 30th with a cargo lof 35,850 bushels of barley. In Christcbarch j the market has, during the week, been very [ quiet. The offerings have been comparatively light, and most of the samples submitted were of tough grain, which is not at the present time saleable. Farmers will, therefore, find it to their advantage to allow grain not harvested before the rain set in, to recover condition in the stack before threshing and placing it upon the market. Local millers have not shown any anxiety to buy during the week, and as they will at the present time accept nothing that is not prime and fit for immediate gristing, prices for other descriptions may lie said to be easier. There are no sales since the middle of the week to report. The Melbourne oat market weakened under the pressure of heavy supplies a fortnight ago, but has now become a little steadier. An export trade would relieve tho market to some extent, but it is uncertain at what price sales could be made to Western Australia, while Victorian oats are subject to two drawbacks, one the difficulty of selling a large line on one sample, and the other the use of second-hand hags, which do not stand, h__dli-*g welL Sinoe

the beginning of the year 196,221 sacks of 1 oats have arrived at Melbourne and GeelOng ■ from country stations, while during the same period 21,538 sacks of Now Zealand oats have been transhipped a. Melbourne for Western Australia. The pri-e of imported oats in Sydney has been reduced somewhat, owing to large quantities being under offer by rail. In Adelaide very little business is doing, and deliveries from fanners have almost closed. There were no good samples on offer in Christchurch this woek, and enquiries are being made for almost all descriptions. In Dunedin the market is easier ou account of the new grain coming to hand somewhat freely. Shippers are however holding off, until the offerings are on a larger scale. No prime lots of barley have been offcrod in Christchurch during the week, and medium and inferior samples are slow of sale. Blue peas are wanted, and white arc also in demand for splitting. Sales of Dorwent potatoes continue to be made on the basis of 40s per ton for April and 35s for Slay delivery. Onions aro easier, and ate contracts are at the rate of £3 10s per .on. In Syduey they are selling at about E6, but offers from here have met with little _r no response. Cocksfoot is coming to liand freely, but holders of bright seed are Srm in their values. Discoloured seed is .asier, as the quantity appears to be greater than was anticipated. Transactions have not been heavy, as few of the larger growers have yet offered their seed. The following are current prices paid to farmers, f.0.b., Lyttelton, for direct shipment from country stations and free of commission, except where otherwise specified :— Wheat, Good to prime quality. Peart -• •• •• •• 3slldto4s Tuscan .. .. .. -• 3s 94d to 3s lid Hunter's.. .. .. •- -s-dto-slOd Oats — Prime milling 2s, good stout feed ls lid, fair short feed la lOd, Duns ls lOd to ls lid, Danish ls lOd. Barley — Prime malting 3s 3d to 4s, medium do 3s 3d to 3s 6d, feed 2s to 2s 2d. Beans —Nominal. Peas—Blue Prussians 3IJ 6d to 3s Bd. Flour (millers' quotations)— Roller £11 10s, stone £10. Sharps—£3 53. Bran—£2 15s. Oatmeal—£ll 10s. Oatsheaf Chaff—4os at country stations. Potatoes—April and May delivery 40s. Omions—£3 10s at Chmtohurch. Grass Seed—Ryegrass, farmers' lots 2s 3d to 2s 9d, machine dressed 3s 6d to 3s 9d, and heavy shotty seed up to 4s ; cocksfoot bright 3£d to 3_d ; discoloured 2_d to 2sd - cowgrass (nominal); white clover 6d to ?_jd ; alsyke (nominal) 5d to 6d. Dairy Produce—Cheese 3d to 4d, loaf 3_d to 4Jd; butter, factory 9d, dairy 6d to 8d ; salt, in boxes, 5d to 6d ; bacon 6|d, do roll 6fcd to 7d; hams 7£d. The New Zealand Farmers' Co-opera-tiv_ Association or Canterbury, Ltd., quote as follows on March sth :— Wheat—Prime milling Pearl ..4s f.0.1i ~ „ Tuscan .. 3s lid „ „ „ Huuter's.. 3s lOd ~ Seconds, clean .. .. 3s 3d ~ Oats—Tartars and Duns .. lslOdto'slld „ Good stoat feed .. .. ls lid to 2s „ Milling .. .. Bsld Barley— Prime-it-alttng .. 3s 6d to 4s „ Medium (dull) .. ..3s to 3a 3d „ Beans.. .. .. .. 2s7d „ Peas—Prussian Blues .. .. 3s9d ~ Partridge .. .. 3s 3d „ Rye grass—Farmers' lines .. 2s to 2s 6d Ch.ch Cocksfoot—Good bright seed .. 34dto3jd „ Medium grades .. ..3d ~ , Qhaff—Goodoatshe-l ... .. 4_56dt0453 i ■ Country stations Potatoes—Derwents _. .- 40s off forks Country station'