ADDINGTON MARKET

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22823, 23 September 1939, Page 10

ADDINGTON MARKET

SMALL BEEF AND MUTTON ENTRY PARTIAL RECOVERY IN VALUES -■ ■ ■ • Wednesday's entry was sufficiently small in both the main sections of stock to send values upwards, but the recent semi-fixation of maximum prices curbed any tendency in this direction. Buyers did not exactly know where they were, and neither did anybody else for that matter under the new order of things. They understood that the prices of the end of August sale were not to be exceeded —that appeared to be well understood—but just what those prices were in comparison with prices since would be hard to estimate. Butchers scarcely kept a record of weights in relation to quality at the end of August sale to enable them to do this, particularly in the matter of sheep. However - , there was no occasion for brain fag on this aspect at Wednesday’s sale.. The market reacted to the law of supply and demand, as it will always do. The previous week there* had been a record big yarding, brought together from all the provinces as a result of the high prices of the previous two sales. The result of tire deluge was a rattle down in values by 8s to 12s a head. This slide shut out this week the vendor from afar and many local ones whose sheep still want more condition, and the entry was short of requirements However, some butchers bought ahead of present needs at last week's sale, and with the slocks on hand sufficient mutton was available. During the temporary period of high prices there was a good deal more frozen mutton used. The uncertainty caused a very erratic market on Wednesday. There were a few cases of sheep being 6s a head dearer than the week before —there were others where the advance was negligible, particularly for the extra prime class, which had been outstripping other classes in the rate of advance. On an average, values were about 3? a head better, which is still about 7s a head lower than the market that must not be exceeded. Farmers at this weeks sale were unanimous in.'the belief that the one effective methods of keeping prices down was through the retail end. The butcher deals on margins, and if his retail price is limited his price ih the yards must be limited accordingly. The butchers are not compelled to buy, and prices would automatically come back without his competition to a marginal level. It is somewhat difficult to see how a vendor from a distance, who rarely attends the market, can be penalised if his stock bring more than some other person s estimated value, but which he might consider himself too low, in view of the fattening feed he has had to grow. The possibly dangerous reaction of the scheme may be' that winter fattening will go oyt of favour, and that for a month or two in the off season frozen stocks will have to be largely depended upon. This, of course, means less production. These frozen stocks are now available at a reasonable price if the prices at Addington should soar unduly. However, as stated, there is a good margin on this week’s prices before the “mustn t market is exceeded. ! It is interesting to compare the prices of 10 years ago with those of this week. The figures of the sale quoted are for September 12, there being an all-round drop the following week. Meat, as will be seen, was a long way dearer then, and, incidentally, wages were much lower. Sept. 12, SepL 19, 1929. 1939. Wethers — s. s. s. s. Ex. prime heavy to 521 jo 42! Prime heavy .. 40 to 45 37 to 40 PriSe med -wght. 36 to 394 31 to 36 Ordinary «• 32 to 35! 26 to 29 Light .. 28 to 31 21 to 25 E Ex!~prime heavy to 45i to 401 Prime heavy ~ *33 to 38 29 to 31 i Prime med.-wght. 27 to 32 25 to 28* Ordinary '• • 23 to 26 20 to 24! Light • • to 22 14 to 19 Store Sheep Small bunches of ewes and lambs are now coming into the yards, probably the result of the backwardness of growth. The best of them sold at up to 12s 6d, all counted, the lambs being well grown and the ewes in fair order. There was also a demand for 1 young ewes, and that there is still money- about for good stock was shown by the fact that an outstanding pen of three-quarter bred ewe hoggets sold at 295. The price, nevertheless, is well below what this das: of two-tooth has been making at the autumn ewe fairs. Fat Cattle Fat cattle a little more than recovered the drop of last week, although here again the sale was very in anc out. The entry was not much more than half the usual size, comprising only 300 head, but following on several other small pennings the market recovered to nearly the good level ol three weeks before. The small entry was accidental. The drop of 20s a head the previous week for a smal. penning may have stopped the usua. supply, particularly from a distance The bare stocks held by butchers wil probably cause a good sale if a fair sized yarding comes in next week but with ordinary pennings there after there is little likelihood of thi market advancing further. The sea son,, however, is not a favourable oni to secure this result, as feed has rare lyibeen so backward in the latter hal of September.

The appeal by various organisations to farmers to sow spring wheat is meeting with a good,response, as far as can be judged. Merchants report a good inquiry for seed, and one firm during the week received an order for 180 sacks, and the next day 100 sacks from two growers. Reports from the Ashburton and .Rangiora districts state that seed purchases have been consistently good. There has been a strong swing towards Cross 7 and Marquis, the latter variety, of which there was a substantial acreage sown last spring being in good demand.

Steers— . Ex. prime heavy £ £ to 295 £ £ to 265 Prime heavy 25 to 27 185 to Prime med.-wght. Ordinary Light 20 17 13 to 245 to 195 to 165 165 to 18 13 to 15J to 125 Ex. prime Prime * to 225 161 to 18i 13 to 193 to 155 Medium 14 to 161 11 to 123 Light 9a to 135 8 to 105 Cows — Ex. prime Prime 16 to 22 to 18}. iu to 17 to 135 Medium ‘ 13 to 155 95 to 11 Light 9 to 12 55 to 91