FINANCE AND COMMERCE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21992, 16 January 1937, Page 11

FINANCE AND COMMERCE

CANTERBURY MARKETS

FOW L WHEAT FIRMER

m INTEREST IN POTATOES

(BI 008 COMMBHCIAI. BDITOB.)

Friday Evening. The grain and produce markets are t Drese nt mainly interested in the !L price for wheat, and in the pos- ■* lilitv of some widening in the scope ' The activities of the Wheat ComAttec Generally trade is quiet, as SJnew crops have not yet begun to 1 tr in but there is keen interest in fowl Aat, which is quoted at as high 5s 3d f.o.b. The demand is brisk, hnt supplies are small. No interest is being shown in pota- < «. ttuvers are not in the mrrket. SStatkX are nominally £4 10s for S and £4 7s 6d for whites, f.ob ' Th P small seed harvest is rather later than usual, and no offerings are yet being made. Quotations The following are the prices quoted ««farmers, on trucks, at country sidL s unless otherwise indicated:-Wheat-Fowl wheat, prompt, to 3s 3d f)flts-A Gartons, to 3s; B Gartons, to 2s 6d; Duns, 3s. Ryegrass-Perennial, 2s 3d; Italian, Cocksfoot—Plains, 6d to 7d; Akaroa, 7d to 8d per Jb. ' Cowgrass —6d per id. White Clover—7d to 8d per lb. , chaff—£3 a ton. : Barley—Feed 2s 6d a bushel. i peas—4s 6d. ! Bran— Large £4 15s, small £5 ss. Pollard— Large £6 5s a ton, small $6 15s.

DUNEDIN

' (PMSB AS3OCU.TIOK TXUSGBAM.) /

/ DUNEDIN, January 15. The growing wheat crops are still badly in want of sunshine, and a continuation of the fine weather now being experienced would be welcome by farmers. The fowl wheat market is firm. Stocks are on the light side, and merchants prefer to work from hand-to-mouth until they know the intention of the Government regarding prices. There :s no alteration in the oat market. Stocks are scarce, and A Gartons remain firm at 3s 9d, f.0.b., s.i., for prompt delivery, and also for delivery ahead. It is expected that yields of oats for the coming season will be good. The demand for chaff is on the slow side, but supplies are sufficient to meet the demand. Little, if any, business has been going through. Merchants are waiting for the new season's seeds. Reports from all districts indicate that the continued bad weather has had an effect on the growing crops. It is anticipated: that there will be a shortage of certified ryegrass, but a good supply of ordinary. The quantity of cocksfoot saved this year will be less than that originally anticipated, due to the unseasonable weather. V SOUTHLAND

[THE PRESS Special Service] • INVERCARGILIv January 15. ' Since the opening of the season, there has been a further demand for oats for shipment, and stocks now held are very light. Practically all farmers' lines have been disposed of, and mer- , chants' stocks have been cleared to make room for wool. For any small lines offered by farmers values are about 2s a bushel. Wheat business is now confined to the supply of the local poultry- trade, requirements for which are being drawn from Canterbury. . Bluff is unafole to „ compete with other South Island ports in the chaff shipping trade, and the local demand is limited. The market is fully supplied and it is unlikely that farmers will be able to obtain more than £3 as a ton.. There,is a steady enquiry for certified ryegrass seed, including commercial, and some sales have also been made of Southland-grown uncertified seed to the North Island. No seed is now being offered by farmers and values range from Is Sd to 2s for lines off the mill, and 2s 6d to 3s for machine-dressed lines. There appears io be a lack of enquiry for brown top, which is dull of sale. Values for machine-dressed certified seed are ?™ ut "d to Is. Values to farmers «>r crested dogstail are 5d to 7d, and ior machine-dressed white clover values range from 9d to Is. ifte shipping season for potatoes is *hZ m °l eT and no interest is being Mown by merchants.

STOCK SALES

METHVEN

stock saJe held at Meth . SSL.?* .Thursday brought forward comwSi lvely , smal l entries in all classes. S ever> in both fat and store sheep hn»-l were exceedingly good. Freezing Wers were operating well tip to their S">«s, and there were some very attracts iRPf °* la mbs offered. Top price was en i» fOI L two Pens of 23 and 28, sold am ac £ ount of B - Maw and T. S. Harriwn. Fat ewes were also in keen demand, for%f ore sh eep comprised mostly lambs ww-f^S'- and a ready sale resulted. Pigs JarL??5 la selling well, but fewer ;were » mak USUaI, and sales were not hard

The weekly review of the Grocery *™de appears this morning on Page 7.

LARGE INCREASE RECORDED

BRITISH OVERSEAS TRADE BALANCE PROBABLY SATISFACTORY (BBITISH OFFICIAL WIEELESS.) RUGBY, January. 14. A sharp increase in the value of exports is the chief feature of the December overseas trade returns. - The total for the month, at £40,516,000, exceeds the figure for December, 1935, by £5,594,000, or 11.4 per cent. Publication of the December figures shows that the year's total imports amounted to £848,936,000, an increase of 12.3 per cent., and exports totalled £444,071,900, an increase of 3.5 per cent. Re-export trade for the year, amounted to £60,416,000, an increase of 9.2 per cent. The visible adverse balance of trade for the year is increased by £72,897.000 to £347,801,000. Imports are swollen by the rising prices of raw materials, and by the heavier buying required by expansion in Home manufacturing output. Against the big increase in merchandise imports are to be set large increases in what are called invisible exports. Earnings of British shipping, interest, and dividends on capital invested overseas, and receipts from foreign and Imperial tourist traffic in Britain which are included under this heading, are known to have advanced strongly, and the newspapers are confident that the trade accounts will be found on a full examination to be highly satisfactory.

DETAILED RETURNS

LONDON, January 14. Board of Trade returns for December are as follows:—lmports £83,656,000; exports £40,515,000; reexports £6,100,000. The principal increases, compared with December of the previous year, Imports—Grain and flour £2,141,000; wool raw and waste £1,548,000; meat £946,000; dairy produce £818,000; wood and timber £781,000; hides and skins £648,000; nonferrous metals and manufactures £841,000; machinery £530,000; oils, fats. and resins £411,000. Exports—Beverages and cocoa £643,000; wool raw and waste £480,000; cotton yarns and manufactures £666,000; woollen and worsted yarns and manufactures £406,000; vehicles £737,000; miscellaneous wholly or mainly manufactured £535,000. J , Re-exports—Wool raw and waste £660,000; hides and skins £456,000. The main decreases are:—lmports —Fresh fruit and vegetables £511,000; beverages and cocoa £509,000; cotton raw and waste £946,000.

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT

CHKISTCHURCH MARKET

The following is a report of the fruit and vegetable markets of Christchurch for the week ending January 15:— Vegetables—Good supplies of cabbages and cauliflowers are coming forward, and values are unchanged. Peas: Prices for best quality lines have advanced considerably during the week, vesterday's values being .ut> to 2s 3d a peck. New potatoes: Supplies are very plentiful, and prices are unchanged. Cucumbers: Hothouse 3d to 4d per lb; North Island 3s to 4s a case Fruit A few Delicious and Sturmers are still available. Values are: Delicious 8s fid a case, Sturmers 4s 6d a case. New season's Astrachans and Irish Peach, also cooking apples are coming forward, values being: Irish Peach up to 5d per lb; Astrachans 8s a case; cooking apples 6s a case. Tomatoes: Good supplies are coming forward, and values have improved compared with the early part of the week, best quality realising up to 7d per lb. Raspberries: Supplies very scarce, best quality realising up to 8s 6d a dozen lb. Black.currants: Supplies scarce, supplies up to 5Jd per lb. Stone fruits: Steady suoplies coming forward, and values for all varieties have shown a\ big improvement compared with last week. Apricots, choice dessert up to 6id per lb: others from 3d to 5d per lb. Peaches: Choice dessert up to 53d per lb; others 2£d to 4d. Plums: up to 4d per lb. New Zealand lemons: Increased quantities have come forward during the week, and values are consequently much lower. Imported Fruits—Plentiful supplies of Jamaican oranges, grapefruit, and Californian navels are available. Supplies of Californian lemons came to hand during the week, and were readily absorbed at 60s a case. Ripe bananas: Plentiful supplies have been available at reasonable prices during the week. Yesterday, however, owing to a shortage, values advanced to 29s 6d a case. Eggs—First grade Is 2&d, • second grade Is Id. Duck eggs Is 2d a dozen. DUNEDIN

(riIESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) PUNEDIN, January 15. The fruit market has been oversupplied with ripe bananas. ,A consignment, ex Matua, of Fijian, Tongan, and Samoan bananas reached the market in ripe condition, and had to be sold quickly at'prices which would show a loss to those concerned. A shipment of Samoan bananas, ex Maui Pomare, on the other hand, arrived during the week in perfectly green condition. Stone fruit has not been over plentiful, as supplies have been affected. Following on the cold weather in Central Otago, prices have firmed. As a

consequence, a quantity of centralgrown fruit is being sent daily to northern markets. The tomato market is weak, with ample supplies coming forward. Strawberries and black currants are practically finished for the season. Raspberries have been in keen demand, and prices have advanced. Vegetables are still in short supply. Cabbages and cauliflowers are realising high prices. Choice quality green peas are still bringing good values. New potatoes are in heavy supply. French beans are more plentiful. •