MARKETS REVIEW

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 186, 4 May 1937, Page 13

MARKETS REVIEW

Fat Stock Prices Remain Unaltered DAIRY HERD CULLING Schedule prices for fat stock remain unaltered. Lamb and chilled beef are being drafted to works In modest quantities and schedule rates rule lamb and beef values. With the dairy herd culling now In progress, big supplies of bouer cows are ou the market and the schedule value of these, at 14/6 1001 b., regulates their value. Both fat ewes and wethers are valued on the local market, ewes being worth 22/-, up to 24/- for prime with heavyweights and wethers of similar quality making around 30/-. A year ago, at the Feilding fair, average fat ewes made 19/- and wethers 27/- to 28/-. Lambs sold at schedule rates. Dairy’ Stock. A fair number of clearing sales are scheduled for this month. The few already held have indicated reasonably good prices. At one recently held, the majority of the cows realised £7 to £8 and flve-month and six-month calvers £5 to £6. This herd came forward in excellent order, but was not an outstanding one. Weaner Jersey heifers remain steady at around £2/15/- for average lots. Heifers r.w.b. are a dull trade at around £4/5/-, having remained unchanged for the past three months.

Weaners also have altered little since March. l*lg Market. The schedule remains unaltered at Gd. pork and u.id. bacon. Buyers report supplies as moderate and steady, with little bacon now available. With the excellent close-of-season prices now offering, this has been a great pig year; the best since 1931 probably. A few years ago pork was worth but 4Jd. a lb. and bacon but 4d. to 4}d. Exporters have been troubled with “fish-llavoured” carcases of late months, presumably due to cod-liver oil being fed to pljrs too late. This oil, or any other, should not be given pigs for the last six weeks before drafting. A most unfortunate feature of the present trouble is its delayed action. In many cases the spoiling is not apparent until after the carcase is frozen and then the source of the pigs is difficult to trace. 4 Produce. Potatoes now occupy the principal position in the produce trade. North Island supplies are nearing exhaustion and this month southern shipments be- I gin in earnest. , Despiie bumper yields in Canterbury, the present quotation of £5/15/-, f.0.b., is a shade above that for this time last year. Then whites were quoted at £5/16/-, Dakotas at £5/12/6 to £5/15/a ton. The South American trade prospects have given a firmness to Canterbury potatoes, but there is a whisper that South Africa may be able to supply that market, Canterbury prices being too high. At present rates southern potatoes | will be costing North Island retailers I £B/15/- a ton. and that is not a cheap ‘ price. Some North Island merchants are of opinion that present Canterbury I quotations are rather too high for this season of the year. A few odd lots of Manawatu and Rangitikei potatoes still arrive. These have made round £5/15/- to growers. Ohakune continues digging, weather

permitting and is providing splendid quality. These were quoted wholesale on March 3 at £7/10/-, o.t.

Some preliminary inquiries for certified potato seed are reported in the Manawatu and Rangitikei areas. The Government lists are expected to be out next week. The expected quotations range round £lO to £ll, f.o.b south.; That will mean £l3 to £l4 to North Island growers—about the same as last season.

For onions there is no change to report. Fairly large quantities are out in paddocks in the Manawatu, but continued rains prevent drying out, and growers are becoming most concerned, fearing the loss of the whole crop in some cases.

Chaff is in good demand in the Wellington province. The Wairarapa is the chief supplier. Southern quotations are hard to secure, and merchants there report that many growers are holding chaff, tearing a hard winter, and that they may want the feed on the farm. Very dry conditions prevail about Oamaru, but southward to Bluff the country is as wet as on North Island West Coast areas.

With reference to maize landing in Wellington shortly, last week’s notes quoted this at 5/6 a bushel, ex wharf, to feeders. Actually the price should have been 6/2.

Pollard is getting in short supply locally, and Australian quotations are high. An acute shortage of New Zealand pollard may eventuate this winter.