GROCERY LINES.

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 12

GROCERY LINES.

Cabled advices from Colombo report that the desiccated coconut market shows signs of weakness. Australia is able to absorb all available New Guinea coconut. Singapore advices by cable state that the canned pineapple market is steady at rates ruling last week. Pepper is easier in Penang with a fall of 3-8 d per lb. Prices for new Australian currants and sultanas have not yet been named. Australian canned fruits stocks are reported to be running short in both" standard and seconds packs. Returns completed for the Federal1 Ministry reveal that Australia will have: available for export in the current year a record pack of canned fruits.' The value of the export pack at present in sight is about £1,000,000 at prevailing prices. A census completed today shows that- the production of canned fruit will be about £2,040,000 cases for this season, made up of 1,100,000 cases of peaches, 800,000 of pears, and 140,000 oi apricots. The requirements of the Australian market will be approximately 300,000 cases, leaving about one and a quarter million cases available for export. With a carry-over of about 250,000 cases from last season still in Australia, the total quantity of canned fruit to be exported this year will reach the record total of 1,500,000 cases. Dried apricots, nectarines, and peaches are in short supply. Canned salmon prices are steady but it is almost certain that they will advance to meet higher freight rates to come into operation in June. Chinese peanuts show no change on last quotations. The tapioca and sago markets are reported as featureless