PRODUCE AND GRAIN

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23086, 31 July 1940, Page 6

PRODUCE AND GRAIN

EXPORT OF POTATOES TO AUSTRALIA According to. a cablegram published yesterday, the first consignment of 1000 tons of Canterbury potatoes, sent to Australia under the arrangement for the admission of 5000 tons, has been marketed at £U a ton. The potatoes were bought at the equivalent of £5 to £5 5s on* board., Freight and duty amount to approximately £5 a ton, and to this amount landing, cartage, handling, and selling commission charges have to be added; so there would be little margin for the Internal Marketing Deportment, which ,is controlling the export. Arrangements are now practically completed for the second consignment of 1000 tons to leave early In August. Some interest has been shown by growers and merchants in a suggestion advanced in an article in “The Press,” that New Zealand ‘ could find a good market for seed potatoes in South America, since supplies from Europe are now cut off. The first and perha'ps the greatest difficulty is in arranging freight at the present time, but If this could be overcome further investigations would appear to be worth while. The, potato market locally is still very slow, with no change in the quotation.. Quotations . The following quotations to farmers on trucks at country sidings, unless otherwise indicated, are supplied by the president of the North Canterbury Grain, Seed, and Produce Merchants’ Association: — , ' Wheat—Milling, f.0.b,, Tuscan. 5s lOd, Hunters 6s, Pearl 6s 2d. Marquis 6s 3d. (Pinal payment of 3d a bushel on all wheat at the end of the year.) Oats; A Cartons 3s 9d to 4s: B cartons 3s 3d to 3s fid; Algerians 3s 0d to 3s Sd; Duns 4s to 4s. fid, according to sample. Ryegrass: Perennial and Italian 6s to 7s, according to sample. Cocksfoot. 9d (nominal). White clover: 2s to 2g sd. Red clover; Is to Is 4d. Partridge peas: 6s 9d to 7s. Chaff: £6. Earley: r Malting, ex stack/ 4s XOid; ex Stock, 4s 74d; Cape, 4s to 4s fid: black, fis: to 6s 3d. Potatoes: £2. Onions; £.% Linseed, f.a.q., £B6.