Grain And Seeds Downward Trend In Clovers And Grasses

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 16

Grain And Seeds Downward Trend In Clovers And Grasses

Isolated inquiries for ryegrasses and white clover are being received from the United Kingdom at levels based on current quotations but the market for these seeds is showing a downward trend, Christchurch merchants said yesterday. The lack of trading is typical, of this time of the year but with the weight of seed in hand merchants say that farmers are tending to be more ready to meet the market. Perennial and short rotation ryegrasses are meeting little interest and there is competition on the U.K. market from Northern Ireland and Denmark in perennial ryegrass. Italian ryegrass trading ait present levels is a reflection of the Northern Hemisphere drought last year and demand cleaned out almost completely the New Zealand stocks. Wheat Sowings The weather has been very favourable for wheat sowings and the total acreage will probably not show the decrease expected earlier. Some merchants consider that their seed sales are comparable and even slightly in excess of last year’s figures. There is a big demand for spring sown crops. Maple peas are now scarce and practically all stocks held by merchants are committed either for overseas sale or for seed and indications are that there will be a big contract acreage. One merchant said he considered this reflected the higher prices this year for seed peas and growers preferring to grow under contract.

There will probably be a bigger acreage of feed barley. There has been a reduction in the contract area for malting barley but merchants say that the demand for seed is bigger. Although last season's wheat crop was so seriously affected in yield by yellow dwarf virus the barley crops averaged well. Over the last 10 years the Government Statistician’s average yield for barley was 46 bushels but an unofficial but authoritative estimate of Canterbury malting barley crops harvested this year was 50J

bushels an acre. This reflects the effect of the new varieties and the increased fertility from grassland farming in the post-war years. Potato Trade North Island demand for potatoes is beginning in earnest and the market. has had a better tone this last week.' Rangitikei crops, which have been delaying the demand for South Island potatoes, have virtually come to an end.

Supplies are readily available and quality is reported to be very good. Good digging conditions and sufficient frosts and rain to cool the ground have hardened the

skins of the tubers and this should improve their keeping. Indications are that there will be an adequate supply this year and at present there are no obvious prospects of either a slight shortage or slight surplus. The increased use of defoliant sprays has resulted in many cases in a more even size of table. Some of the newer varieties have tended to grow tables bigger than the Auckland trade prefers and the spraying has tended to balance this. Potato prices to the grower at present are about £lB 10s a ton for Suttons and Chippewa, £l6 10s to £l7 for Ham Hardy and Sebago and £l6 for other white varieties. Prices to Growers The following prices were announced yesterday as a guide to growers by the president of the North Canterbury Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association (Mr L. K. Jones): — Ryegrass.—Mother perennial. 12s a bushel; p.p., Ils 6d; mother HI. Ils; standard. 10s; mother Italian, 15s; standard. 14s. White Clover.—Mother 99/90, 3s per lb; p.p., 2s lOd. Cowgrass.—Uncertified, Is fid per lb. Montgomery Red Clover.— Certified. 2s 6d per lb (nominal); uncertified. Is fid (nominal). Cocksfoot.—Certified. Is 6d per lb (nominal). Browntop.—Certified. 7s per lb; uncertified. 6s 6d. Lucerne.—Certified. 3s 3d per lb (nominal): uncertified, 2s 9<J, (nominal). Mr Jones emphasised that the values quoted for ryegrasses and white clover were based on 99/90 purity and germination and free from Rumex species to comply with the U.K. Seeds Act. Woolworths, New Zealand.— Interim ordinary dividend of 5 per cent. Is payable on July 31, ex June 18. Skellenip Ind.—A steady Interim dividend of 5 per cent, is payable on ordinary shares on July 1, ex June 24. Total payment last year was 10 per cent.

Early Applicants.—Though a large number of requests had been received for shares in Von Kohorn of New Zealand, Ltd., none had been allotted or reserved and none would be until the prospectus was available in a few weeks’ time, said a spokesman for the Wellington underwriters, yesterday.— (P.A.)