GRAIN, SEED, AND PRODUCE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28322, 6 July 1957, Page 13

GRAIN, SEED, AND PRODUCE

Potato Prices More Stable

(By Out Commercial Editor)

Potato prices have been more stable this week.

Growers appear to have accepted the recent drop in prices and are prepared to meet the market. North Island buyers, seeing no prospect of a surplus before the first early crop potatoes are dug, are confident that prices for the remainder of the South Island crop cannot fall much further.

Auckland and Wellington buyers are not anxious to increase their stocks until the imported potatoes have been cleared, but their orders should increase next month. Auckland’s next shipment of Australian potatoes is expected early next week, and Wellington’s are due about the end of the month.

North Canterbury growers made the most of the fine weather early this week to dig more of their crops. These potatoes, which have reached merchants’ stores in much better condition than last month’s supplies, have been sold at up to £35 a ton. Most merchants agree that at present prices few North Canterbury growers will be out of pocket this season. Browntop, Dogstail Cheaper Prices for browntop and dogstail have been easier in the last week or two. A little trade between merchants has been done in white clover, but it is thought that none of this seed is being sold overseas. The slight increase in business in this line is ascribed to merchants covering themselves against contracts entered into months ago. The forward seller of clover last summer or autumn was considered by most of his fellow-traders to be very venturesome. Towards the end of February, for instance, when the price to the grower was 2s 9d per lb, the majority opinion in the trade was that “clover must rise.” Since then prices have fallen by 5d per lb or so and February’s forward sellers are “sitting pretty.”

Some fine crops of onions have been harvested locally this year. Most of the onions offered in Christchurch shops are large, and even in size; in fact, some shops have been unable to supply customers who seek the smaller onions for pickling and bottling. The price to the grower recently has ranged from £32 a ton to £4O a ton.