GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25306, 4 October 1947, Page 5

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS

SITUATION REVIEWED (By Our Commercial Editor.) A round of the grain and produce markets in Noith Canterbury shows no great activity. Most lines of small seeds are depressed—for obvious reasons.

With most other lines of small seeds suffering under an export embargo, great hopes were held about two. months ago for Montgomery clover, but up to the present these hopes have not oeen realised. A fair quantity of the seed has yet to be threshed and machine-dressed, but the indications are that those who met the market and sold earlier in the season were the lucky ones. Mother seed white clover is still holding about the ls 9d mark, but when it is borne in mind that in the late autumn uncertified was sold up to 2s 3d per lb, the present situation must be a disappointment for growers. There is stib some' inquiry for the cheaper grades of white clover, but ver# low money is being offered.

Small quantities of Italian ryegrass are being sold to the Continent at low prices Prices generally are so low that they only attract sellers who are anxious to clean up at all costs. The market for cowgrass is below par. but better qualities of perennial ryegrass of 80 per cent, germination and better are quite saleable. September saw the last of the price increments for wheat. Yesterday the Wheat Committee announced that the final date for receiving wheat for this year is j\ovember 30. After that date any wheat re ceived will be dealt with as new season's wheat on the new season's price basis whatever that will be. Deliveries of wheat

up to October 2 of this year were 4,2u4,78i bushels, compared with 4,226,299 bushel.for the corresponding period iast year The total quantity handled last year by the Wheat Committee was 4493,641 bushels out of a crop oi 5,400,000 bushels. It is estimated that the quantity of wheat still to be marketed this season uoes not exceed 200,000 bushels. Quotations are as follows: Potatoes.—Growers’ prices. Whites and Dakotas, £lO 15s a-top, f.0.b., s.i., Suttons and King Edwards, £ll ss. Onions.—£2B a ton, f.a.q. Wheat.—Tuscan and Cross 7. 7s 9d; Hunters, 7s lid; Marquis, 8s 3d. (From all these prices id a bushel is deducted as the grower’s contribution to the insurance fund against frost, flood, and hail.) Oats.—A grade Gartons, 4s (on trucks) Algerians, 4s 3d to 4s 6d; Duns, good'quality, 4s 6d to ss; black, 3s 6d to 4s. Red Clover—2s machine dressed. White Clever.—ls 6d, uncertified is 80 p.p.. Is lOd m.s. Barley.—Cape and malting, maximum price, 5s 6d (0.t., s.e.), for No. 1 quality Chaff.—G.b.o.s., £9 a ton (f.0.b., s.i.) equivalent to £6 10s (0.t., s.e.) country stations. Cocksfoot.—4d to 6d per lb (nominal) Linseed.—£3o a ton on trucks. Partridge Peas.—los a bushel (No. 1), 9s for f.a.q.; Prussian Blue. 12s 6d.

„ DUNEDIN (P.A.) DUNEDIN, October 3. Steady rain during the week has been of great benefit to farmers. It gave an excellent start to all spring-grown crops. Unfortunately the rain was confined mainly to the coastal belt, and the inland district would benefit from a good soaking. There is still a fair demand tor wheat for spring sowing, but the end of the season is now in sight. Ample stocks of potatoes are held in store, but a shortage of certified lines of seed potatoes has arisen. A limited amount of trading in white clover has taken place during the week, but on the basis of low values. Montgomery clover has been slow of sale, although one or two transactions in hightesting mother seed have been recorded on a lower basis of values than for some time.