GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10263, 4 February 1899, Page 6

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

(BY OUR COMMERCIAL EDITOR.) Friday Evening. Broomhall's "Corn Trade News" gives the following figures showing the world's wheat crop for the past six years: — Ouarter*. Quarters. 1856-97 .. 296,000,000 1892-95 •.. 3*3,000,000 1597-9S .. 284,000,000 1893-94 .. 316,000,000 1893-99 .. 341,000,000 1894-95 .. 324,000,000 Total produc- Total production ..921,000,000 tion ..953,000,000 From the foregoing it will be seen that in the three seasons that preceded the low prices in the autumn of 1894, the farmers of the world were estimated to have.grown 953,000,000 quarters, whereas during the present and two preceding seasons they are reckoned to have raised only __1,000,000 quarters. The barley crop in the principal countries for four years is as follows: — 1888. 1897. 1896. 1895. Bushels. Bujiiels. Bushels. Biuhels. 868,600,000 637,20j,000 7ia,i.00,000 740.640,000 The oats crop in the principal countries for four years is given as lollows, and it would seem from the large increase in 1898 that there is little to be hoped for in the way of improvement in . prices in the near future •• —. 1898. 1897. 1836. 18.5. Bushels, Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. 2,634,000,000 2,340,900,000 2,405,600,000 2,699,680,000 The "Melbourne Leader"' reports in regard to the shipment of Victorian wheat to London that "the supply of tonnage at present is small, but it may be anticipated I h*t liw our v*nts are known, a good many vessels will be sent to our ports. _'or handy vessels, 30s to 32s 6d, with options, quoted; comparatively high rates also being asked for large earners to a direct port. I'ebruaryMarch loading quoted at 27s 6d for large and 30s'for small earners. Steam freights are higher for parcels, the space available in most lines having been secured iij ad- ] vance, while a late charter of a steamer to carry a full cargo was carried through at an abnormal price. The Orange Branch, (turret steamer) will take _0,000 bags of wheat in parcels. The present charges, however, have frightened "shippers to some extent, • and, as a consequence, there has not been so much activity in business. The followin" vessels' are loading wheat: —Williamstown: Kathleen hilda, Gratia, Lisbeth, Gracia, Orange Branch. Melbourne: Strathgryfe, tilaucus, Orient-, Invermay, Gladys, Grassendale." Enquiries have been made by grain nuerchants in Christchurch regarding vessels, and it is stated that three have been chartered to load wheat for the United .Kingdom, but tonnage is said to be somewhat difficult to obtain. Nothing has yet been done in the way of purchasing wheat for export, all the samples that haye been offered having been threshed out of stook, and in most cases are mot in condition for shipping. No further sales of the new crop are reported beyond the one referred to on Wednesday. Millers are holding off, and even old wheat is unsaleable at present. Holders of last season's crop are, however, not so anxious to sell as they were a short time ago, and are becoming firm in their demands for at i ' feast"ss,: : f:6*b-, for prime milling pearl and Tuscan. ! The oats market has a slightly Weaker tone, as the Sydney market is reported to j be giving way on account of recent heavy | consignments from the Bluff, from which port some 21,000 sacks were shipped last ■ .weak, mainly for Sydney and Auckland. New dun oats continue, however, to sell ' fairly freely, several thousand bushels in good-sized lines having been placed.at Is j _d to Is 3d, delivered at Christchurch. I Barley shows little or no alteration in values/and the bulk of the early-thre3hed crop now appears to hare been disposed of. j Samples of cocksfoot, are now coming to hamd, all of which are slightly off colour. A good deal oi the grags seed that has come into store, both cocksfoot and ryegrass, has shown signs of sweating, and has had to be shot out. Business in cocksfoot has been opened at 2_d for off colour, and a pared of slightly coloured.was taken at 2|d. The deliveries of ryegrass during the past week or ten day 9 has shown a falling off, and the market is a trifle firmer in consequence. For seed from three 3rears old pastures 2s is easily obtainable. 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: — '•. Old wheat (nominal) —Good to prime quality pearl 2slod to 2s lid, Tuscan 2s lOd to ts.lld, Hunter's 2a 6d to 2s 7d, second quaty wheat about 3d lower. '7 Oats—-Good stout feed 2a, fair short feed is 10d to Is lid, new Is 2d to Is 4d at country stations. Barley—New, 2s 6d to 3s delivered. Beans (nominal). ' , .Pea*—Blue Prussians 4s, partridge maple Ss 3d to 3s 6<L ' Floor v (millers' quotations, nominal)— Boiler £8, stone £7. Sharps—£3. Bran—£2 10s. _ Oatmeal—£l2. ■ Old Oatsheaf Chaff (nominal) —555; new 355, at country stations. and Beauty of Hebron 50s, Early Rose 60s, for immediate delivery if ripe ; Derwents 30s, off forks, April—May at country stations. Grass Seed—Ryegrass, farmers' lots is 6d to 2a 6d; cocksfoot 2_d for off colour, 2fd for bright; clovers nominal. Usury I'rtxiac-—Cheese, factory 4d r« 4_d, loaf 4d to sd; butter, factorr (local) 9d, daiiy 6d to 7d, salt (in boxes) 5d to 6d; bacon 7d, do roll 7d to 71d; bams 8d; factory bacon and bam _d bigbor. (KRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) LNVERCARGILL, February 3. There are no changes to report in the produce market. » ' . i i n