GRAIN, SEEDS PRODUCE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28606, 7 June 1958, Page 11

GRAIN, SEEDS PRODUCE

Lull In Potato Shipments

Potato shipments from Lyttelton seem likely to show a reduction in tonnage this fortnight compared with the loadings during the fortnight ended May 31. Un- J til this week shipments had steadily increased and the port graders’ figures recorded a total of 64.832 sacks, 30,132 in the last period.

■Die market at present appears quiet and trade sources say that the lull is, in general, only to *be expected after the big shipments and the large amount dug during the last fortnight, which included the school holidays. North Island merchants are still holding what remains of the above average Rangitikei and Manawatu harvests and this, coupled with what they have received already from the South Island, is enabling them to ease their inquiries.

Against this is the growing grower resistance to making sales al the present prices, considered to be uneconomiCi/and a consid- 4 erable tonnage of dug potatoes is •being stored on farms. In some cases, growers are preferring to hold and grade their own potatoes rather than pay for store grading. A similar situation exists in Timaru with a general quietening of the market. A reliable source reported that the heavy draw-oIF from the South Canterbury area, where digging has practically finished, to Southland and Otago had ’eased. A considerable percentage of less attractive lines from both North and South Canterbury —some of which would possibly not have passed port graders—had come on the Southland markets, producing a' dampening effect which would satisfy the demand until fully absorbed.’ Considerably fewer potatoes have ; been shipped through Timaru so. far this season and it is thought probable that the total for the year will be far below normal. This may be partly attributable to the Southland demand. Maple Pea Quality Criticism of the quality of new crop New Zealand maple peas voiced recently in the United Kingdom and published in the monthly report of the Bank of New Zealand is considered by local merchants to be biased from the buyer’s view and does not give a true picture of the situation.

The report said that United Kingdom buyers have been concerned at the quality of some of deliveries graded as No. 1, saying that they consider they are of only fair average quality. These New Zealand shipments have been compared with Tasmanian peas, which the buyers said were in excellent condition and pf excellent quality. Further offers of the Tasmanian peas are unobtainable and prices for them have maintained a relatively high level. Merchants said yesterday that the Tasmanian peas were of a different variety and tended to be more attractive in colour. In addition. Tasmania had had a very good, but short season. Peas graded there as No. 1 were machine dressed and sold at a premium. New Zealand sold peas in three grades. The top line was No. 1 machine dressed, then No. 1 and fair average quality. Peas straight off the farmer’s header could be graded at No. 1, but might contain a few pods. If was

unfair to compare them directly with Tasmanian No. 1 which, in fact, were equal to New Zealand machine dressed No. 1, they said. It had frequently happened that the port graders had turned down lines which had then been dressed to bring them up to grade. They then had * been equal to the top grade, entitled to premium price, and of higher grading than the order they filled. Peas shipped from New Zealand had been equal to their grading, merchants said. It was possible that a minimum No. 1 grade had been compared unfairly with a maximum fair average quality. This was possible under any grading system but the overall picture was entirely different. \ Feed Barley Shortage Barley prices are maintaining a firm price and feed barley is in fairly restricted supply. With last season’s yields of good quality malting barley there were few lines turned down which would normally have become available for feedstuffs Buyers of feed barley are in the position of having to consider almost full malting prices asked by sellers. With ryegrass prices above world parity and in the face of lower Danish and Irish offers, there is little activity in the small seeds trade. Overseas interest is at a low ebb and, apart from white clover inquiries. merchants are awaiting the results of harvest in the Northern Hemisphere. Purely a seasonal lull the present situation is expected to continue for some weOks yet. Prices to Growers The following prices to growers were quoted yesterday by the Canterbury Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association:— Ryegrass.—Mother perennial, 18s per busnel; p.p., 17s 6d; uncertified. Ils. H.l mother, 18s; standard. 17s 6d. White Clover.—Mother, 99/90, 3s per lb; p.p., 2s lid; mother, 98/90,’ 2s lid per lb; p.p., 2s lOd. Cowgrass.—Certified, Is 9d per lb; uncertified, Is 6d. Browntop (nominal). —Certified, 2s 3d per lb; uncertified, 2s. Montgomery Red Clover.—Certified, 4s per lb; uncertified, 2s. Lucerne (Marlborough strain).— Uncertified, *4s 3d per lb. The president of the association, Mr F. F. Reading, in announcing these prices, said that they were those which could be justified by the basic market situation for each variety of seed. They did not take into account day-to-day fluctuations of a speculative nature.