CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18431, 11 July 1925, Page 12

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

\BT OTS COUHEBCUL BPITOS.) Friday evening. The wheat returns published early in the week are confirming early season forecasts. The average yield in Canterbury of 38; bushels per acre, and for the Dominion of 33 bushels, is very satisfactory, and much in advance of the official and some other estimates. Oa the gross return recorded of 4,805,542 bushel?, at. an avcTago of 33 bushels, an area of Mo.ooo acres has been accounted for. The Statistician's estimated area was 170,000 acres, so that the balance of 25.000 acres should iccrease the total crop to ?,500,000 bushels—that is, if the present average yield is maintained. It is possible, however, that the area has been over-esti-mated. It ii 13 not, we will have half-a-million bushels more of wheat than inanv estimates forecasted.

There is still a fair amou'nt of threshed wheat being held oa the farm. In most of these cases the growers missed the 7s and 7s 3d market, and do not like the idea of accepting 6d a bushel less. Most interest centres round the oats market. Any idea that may have prevailed that the crop would be a shoTt one-i-and it is difficult to rind the slightest evidence for such a belief—has been dispelled by the latest official returns. The Pominion threshings reported to mid-June —cot the complete threshings, which naturally would swell the figure—are over 5,000,000 bushels. If the actual threshings wero reported the total would probably be near another million bushels, and in addition there is still a quantity in stack which may not bo or" may be threshed. As a result of the 'confirmation the official figures have given to previous forecasts, the market has become weaker. Southland has kept a sturdy front in spite of all tho evidences, but figures are "chiels that wiiina diug." Whilst the mid-June threshings aggregate something short of a million bushels, the shipments for the first five months of the year from the Bluff represent only 14-13 tons, or, roughly, I">,000 sacks. To the end of Juno the total was 16,221 sacks, or approximately 70,000 bushfils. This makes a very small hole in the province's yield of a million bushels, with more returns to come. The average area seeded in Southland and tho local milling requirements represent, it has been estimated, about 95,000 sacks, which, with the 16,000 sacks shipped, amount to a little more than half the 200,000 sacks threshed to mid-June. As a matter of fact a stocktaking of the oats in store in Southland at the end of June showed a holding in town, country, and port of 83,000 sacks. The changed viewpoint the figures have brought about in the South is evidenced by the fact that offers are now quite free from that quarter at 4s 6d through store for A Gartens and 4s 2d for B's, with buyers hard to find. Most of the Southern crop is A grade, and with the much cheaper rates, quoted for Canterbury inferior oats there is only the milling outfit for the grade stuff. As against Bluff's shipment of 15,000 sacks North to the end of May, Lytteltou shipped 80,000, Timaru 15,000, Oamaru B/w* and Dunedin 5500, o ra .total for these ports of 100,500 sacks. Most of these oats were Algerians sold at a low price, or B Gartohs. The potato ■activity has subsided to some extent. Quotations at tho moment for July shipment are £5 Ijs to £6. Auckland is enquiring, more actively, immediate supplies being uncertain. The Katoa is due to leave Lytteltou on Tuesday, but as the: stores aro cleared out of stocks, and sis'-potatoes cannot be dug for some time and pits will not be.opened, the prospects of suffieieuf shipments to meet requirements are uncertain. It is understood that the Australian steamer, which is meandering down tho coast, is taking additional supplies from Timaru to Sydney, where the markot has firmed further this week. Quotations locally on trucks arc to £4 10s, with little offering. There has.beeu a sharp rise in the price of oiiions, and purchases have been made at from £9 10s to £lO on trucks, sacks extra. Tlicro arc few local onions available, the season'being about over. • It is expected that.the seed market will brighten up by the end of the month, in view of Northern spring grassing. There is no alteration in values'to record.

The following aro nomiruil quotations, freo of commission, sacks extra, except whero othenviso stated :—■ Wheat—TuscaJi 6s Bd, Hi'iiters 6s lOd, Pearl 7s f.0.b., .sacks extra; fowl wheat 6a lid f.o.b. Oats—Garton A's, 3s Cd to 3s 7d; B's, 3s 3d to. 3a 4d; Algerians, 2s 6d to 2s !>d. Chaff—Good bright to £4 ss; secondary £3 10s. "Whit© Clover—l2d to lud. Peas—4s 9d t'o os. Cowgrass—9rl to 1(W. Italian Kyep;rass—2s 9d. Perennial Eyegrass—3s 6d to 4s for good.' Cocksfoot—To 6Jd.' Linseed—£l7. Potatoes—To £4 10.«. Onions—£9 10s to £lO for prompt. Flour —£18 a ton f.o.b. nearest port; smaller packing, 1001b, £l9: SO's, £U> 12s 6d ; 2o's: £2O. Pollard—£s f.o.b. nearest port, 10s extra for smaller packing. Bran—£B per ton f.o.b. nearest port, 10s extra for smaller packing.

POULTRY AND EGGS. On aeeo'nnt of tho wet weather the supply of poultry has not been so good as usual,'and consequently prices at present are high. Following are prices per pair.:—Table, chickens, 6s to lfis; hens (light), 3s to 5s Cd; hens (heavy), Cs to 9s; ducks, 8s to lis; geese, 7s to 9s; turkeys, 18s to 475. Eggs are still in very, short supply, and an advance of Id a dozen was recorded in prices this week. The Canterbury Co-op. Poultry Producers, Ltd., quote tho following prices per dozen for "Chain" brand:—First grade hen egg."., 2s 8d: second grade hen; eggs and duck eggs, 2s Gd. -

DUNEDIN.

(SfICIAL TO "THX PUSS.") MW'EDIN, July 10. ' Th« oats market shows very little sign of improvement. Offerings from faraiciß liave slackened considerably, and sales are by no means frequent. A (iarton's are 3s Gd, sacks extra,: on truck. A little.belter can bo* obtained for specially heavy lines suitable for millim; purposes. 'The'wheat .market b' quiet. Millers, with their requirements arriving from Australia, are not keen operators. The fowl wheat demand 13 fairly brisk, and any Una available- for this' purpose meets with a readv Hate at values equivalent or slightly better than tho fixed TBtes.' The bad weather lias made the chaff demand 3 little keener, and sales ure easier to oft'ocl. Values, however, have uot increased appreciably, and prime quality in worth from £5 to £5 5s ex truck, sack; extra, medium quality from i' 4 to i.">, and inferior from £"1 to £l. tacks extra, ex More. The heavy rains iu the north hßve stopped farmers irora digging potatoes, therefore to secure their requirements contractors have had 10 pay a little extra and buy from stocks available. The value to-day is i's per ton. ex truck, sacks in.