GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26971, 21 February 1953, Page 8

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS

(By Our Commercial Editor.) This season will be a lean one for ths seed grower, for the indications are that both yields and prices will, on the average, be lower than in recent years. Ryegrass crops suffered heavily from rain damage when many of them were almost ready for harvesting. White clover has not found conditions to its liking, am red c’nver is appearing in some paddoco of this crop. Last year's low prices far cocksfoot have apparently dfecourajm most growers, for merchants report little has been offered this year. The market for crested docstail na* eased considerably, through the combins® influence of a large carry-over and J*" promise of a heavy crop "this year. chewings fescue crop, on the other hsnowill come on a fairly bare market; expon prospects are not good, however, beesuj* of a good crop in the United States. Tn« demand in the United States for b rovro* top, which will be harvested in bury In a few weeks, is also weak. Activity in Cashel street is still at a low ebb. The autumn demand from the Non*! Island for ryegrass and the seasonal from home gardeners for blue lupin nav» accounted for most of the business aon« this week by merchants. . . h ., Merchants handling barley say that Hl, year’s crop—which covers a bigger acre age than last year’s—is not so bright as the 1952 grain. The oat CTW promises well. Feed barley and oats ww again present a marketing problem, fl ”. it is to be hoped that the solution be more sensible than last year’s. wn«" "surplus" grain was shipped overseas the same time that Australian wheat *• being fed to fowls at subsidised prices. ~P5 adford Tops.—Merino: 70’s, 162 d; 149 d; 60’s, 134 d. Crossbred; 565. 93d; SO* 77d; 46’s. 75d. London Metal Prices.—Latest Lon d J metal prices are:—Tin: spot, £958 (buyeni £959 (seller) forward. £937 (buyer). (seller). Lead: spot. £92 15s (bUjy± £93 (seller); forward. £92 (buyer). *7 5s (seller). Zinc; spot. £Bl 15s (buyTL £B2 (seller); forward, £B2 (buyer). *•* 5s (seller).