SHORTAGE OF POTATOES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 113, 6 February 1935, Page 12

SHORTAGE OF POTATOES

Position in Auckland

Doaiinion Special Service. Auckland, February 5. The chief interest among grain and produce merchants is the shortage of potatoes due to the drought at i’ukekohe. which usually supplies the bulk of the city’s requirements at this time of the year. Prices have risen sharply, and quotations to-day are about 7/- per sugar bag. Inquiries for supplementary supplies have resulted in limited quantities being obtained from the Jlanawatu district, and for these the local price is 14/per cwt. It is understood that Hawke’s Bay is also adding its quota with railing’s to the southern part of the Auckland province. The scarcity is rapidly becoming, acute, and there is certain to be a keen demand for the Canterbury crop, which will be first marketed toward the end of next month. Onions, too, are firmer in price, and merchants have advanced their quotations to 12/6 a cental. The market for fowl wheat is very fii"n. though quotations are unaltered at 5/6 a bushel. Fair quantities of ungraded lines are available nt a discount of Id. to 3d. per bushel. Oats are Id. dearer at 3/5 a bushel for B Gartons, and chaff is unchanged at from £7/10/- to £7/12/6 a ton. The dry weather nns brought about a keen demand for milling offals, and the local mills are having some difficulty in coping with the unusual situation. Regularsupplies of AustraliOn pollard, however, are coming forward, and make a welcome addition to the local offerings. Prices are unaltered in the meantime. Overseas ' Wheat Markets Bv Telegraph Pre<- Assn —Copyright. New York, February 4. Chicago wheat futures: May. 94-i cents a bushel: July. 87J- cents; September. 86J cents. New York. cash. 114 cents. IP rc-legrapli t’v~- I'onvrmhi London. February 4. Wheat: Cargoes and parcels were steady to-day. ’Futures: London. Feli-ruary-April. 20/1 a quarter; June, 20/10. Liverpool. March. 4/9 a cental; May, 5/0 1-S; July. 5/2. AUCTION DIARY TO-DAY. Brandon St.. 1.30 p.m.--Furnishings (J. 11. Bethune). Johnsonville fat stock sale. 1 p.m. Masterlon sale. 111.39 a.m. Alolesworth St., 2 p.m.-Hare furnishings (.1. F. McKenna). TO-MORItOW. Raelllii slu-ep Fair. 12 n.m. (Freeman It. Jneksou). Showgrounds. Feildlng. 10 a.m. —ltem fair, st ml Soutlidowiis. S Wiliosloii SI-. 1 p.m.—Uosl limes (JuliaStOH). s Wlllf-Slon SI.. Ili:;tl a.m—Olli.-,■ furniture (Jolinstoil). Waikanac sale. 1 p in.