CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18551, 28 November 1925, Page 14

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

IBT OVK l-OMMERCI-VL EDITOR.) Friday Evening. is very slow in the grain and produce line, though generally all i-lasses of seeds are firm. Oats Moving. There has boon a fair amount, of forward business in nest season's oats. The figure for spread April-Soptember winter delivery has l>eon 4s 6d for A's, f.0.b.. s.i., and -Is 3d for ]>'t>, this represent inn- an advance of 3d a bushel on the figures of a week or so ago. Sellers r-.ro not very keen, the way the U!WS. aro shaping. Last season at. this period oat*; were to bo seen everywhere in Canterbury. This season tho reverse is, the case, and another discouraging sign is that a number of crops aro already coining into ear and are fv.irly certain to yield lightly. Threshing returns for last season show that there must still be a fair quantity of oats on hand in tho south, but unless the area there this ycer is right up to i.he average tho carry-over will not seriously oifsot the light crop in this province. A soaking rain would make a marked difference in yields, but the •toss return under the- most favourable weather conditions is likely to fall sulv stantially short of las: season. Seeds Firm. Gowgrass is meeting with enquiry from the Noith Island at 127s 6d per etvt. f.0.b., s.j., for machine <]reused. There is not much offering from farmers, to whom values aro from 9Jd to 10-Jd per lb for lost quality. Ilyegrass is meeting with firmer en- ] quirj. although not a great deal of ! business is passing. For 27-281b per- j enuial to 6s, I/rttelton, has been paid bv the North Island, the equivalent to farmers on truclcs l>eing 4s 6d. Italian, ryegrass and Western "Wolths are also attracting attention, and there has been a fair amount of business at •Is 8d to 4s 9d, f.0.b., s.i. There has been no consumptive domand to cause the movement, but there is a very general belief that the crop this year will he small, as the backward season has been very markedly reduced tho area closed ur>. Last season it was exceptionally heavy. From 3s 3d to 3s 6d is being quoted to farmers. The season for, partridge, peas is over. ....... _'.'. •;...- ,- . Obeksfoot has quietened again. There- is very little business in chaff, which is still quoted at £3 10s t<> £4 5s or. trucks, according to quality and distance Fowl- feed has jjdvanced, due, no d.oubt, to the bad outlook for tie AnsiffJian harvest. Up to 7s 4d a bushel, f.0.b., Lyttelton, has been paid' during tho week, an advance of 4d on three weeks ago. A Potato Echo. Those merchants who ventured to export potatoes to Sydney so late aa October have had a sharp reminder of the riskiness of such business, and, incidentally of tho elasticity of merchants' business principles over there. It is understood that as the market slumped in Sydney there was some repudiation of contracts, end shippers here were left lamenting. The-Sydney "Daily Telegraph" of November 18th records that New Zealand potatoes were sold the previous day at 3s a bag, or 33s a ton, and a consignement of 100 tons was due to arrive. As these potatoes could not have cost less than £ll a ton /to land in Sydney the losses must be heavy, although, of course, not many tubers sold at the very low price mentioned.

'.Wheat Prospects; A conference was held yesterday in Ohristchurch between the Minister of [Agriculture and the millers to discuss matters relating to the importation of I flour and the wheat position as it affected the milling trade. The result is not available. The recent Government estimate of 157,000 acres in crop this year is generally regarded as erring on the side of optimism, but apart .from this present indications give little hope of a yield equal to last year, vis., 33£ bnshels to the acre. Heavier importation than usual, therefore, would seem to be unavoidable. Poor Australian Crop; ! In view of the foregoing,'the Australian position is invested with more interest than usual. In an article published in "The j Press" several weeks ago- dealing with the need for a settled protective policy, the danger was stressed' of the policy of dependence on Australia a3 a regular source of supply, as in drought years I the Commonwealth has little, if any, wheat to export. Since then a dry period has developed throughout most of the wheat-growing areas, and it has had a very marked effect on the prosiiective yields. The, Melbourne "lieader". annually makes an expert and exhaustive inspection of the crops in Victoria, and its conclusions this year should provide'food for reflection on the part of those who would let wheat-growing peter out in this country. Last season the average in the State was 17.51 bushels. This year itj is estimated at nine. Tho necessity of diverting a larger area of the crop to feed purposes makes the gross yield much less than half—an estimate of 21.730,500 bushels, as against an actual yield of 47,364,405 last season. The latter in recent years was a record return, but excluding'drought years tho annual Victorian crop has averaged from 39* to 44 million bushels. The figures over a period of years are:— Season end- Area in Yield in Average wg March. Acres. Bushels. Per Ac. , 1915 ..■ 2,86."!,535 3,940,947 1.38 1920 .„ 1,918,269 14,858,380 7.75 1921 .. 2,295,865 39,468,625 17.9 1922 .. 2,611,198 43.867,596 16.80 1923 .., 2,644,314 357697,220 13.50 1924 .. 2,454,117 37,795,704 15.40 1925 .. 2,705,32* 47,364,495 17.51 1926 .. 2.893J00* 21,730,500 9.0 "Includes area for hay. , With the heavy seed requirements of Victoria a return of nine bushels to the acre leaves approximately only ten million bushels for export. The following are nominal quotations, free of .commission on trucks, sacks extra, except where otherwise stated:— Wheat—Tuscan 6s Bd, Hunters 6s lOd, Pearl 7s f.0.b., sacks extra; fowl wheat 7s 3d to 7s 4d; Oats—Garton A'sSs lOd to 4s, B's 3s' 7d to 3a 8d; Algerians to 3s 6d. Chaff—Good bright, £4: socondarv, .£3 10k. White Clover—lid to 12d a lb.

CWcrass—9H to IOJd. Italian Eyegrass—3 S 3d to 3s 6d. •Perennial Ryegrass—4s 6d. Cocksfoot—To 7tl. Hour— £lB a ton f.o.b. nearest port. smaller packing, 10011) £l9; 50 's, £ l'J 12s Cd; 25's, .£2O. Po]Jard-r£9 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. The mwli'et was fairly woll sapplied with poultry this week, but the- demand' waa pood, and prices remained firm at lata rates. Following am prices per pair: Tabic chickens 9b to 15s Cd, hens 63 to lis ducklings 9s to lCs 6d, duck* 8s 6d to lis, geese 83 to 98, and turkeys 18s to 455. A keen demand waa experienced for eggs thie week, and a rise in prices took place. The Canterbury Co-op. Poultry Producers, Ltd., quote the follpwing prices per dozen: —Firat- grade hen cgg3 Js 9d, second grade lica eggs la &l )K and..duck eggs la 3d,