FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Evening Star, Issue 18051, 19 August 1922, Page 8

FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Messrs Bray Bros, (of Dunedin), Lid., report as follows for the week ending August 19, 1923-:—> Consignments of chaff are coming forward in email lots, and the demand l is quiet. Best quality is bringing up, to £4 15s (sacks extra). Now that farmers are busy with their spring work everything points to an improvement in prices. Considerable quantities of light and inferior chaff are still offering, and feeders are ■taking advantage of the cheap price of oats to work some of these off, although sales are still slow for inferior lines. Small lots, however, have been sold at £2 10s to £5 10s. The • oat market is weak, and B grade cats are selling at 2s Bjd, f.0.b., s.i.; A grade up to 2s 10£d. These prices are equivalent to 2s, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings, for B’s, and 2s 3d for A’s. Inquiries have come forward from Australia, but offers will nob permit business being done. The duty of Is 6d per cental is the stop gap. If the duty had been lower a considerable quantity of surplus oats could have been exported to Australia. The wheat market is also quiet; only the primest lines are acceptable to millers, as most of them are carrying fair stocks. Lines of shrivelled wheat are offering, hut farmers are not shelving much desire to quit their holdings at present prices, as they are waiting to see if any advantage is to be derived from the Government giving permission for the export of a large quantity of undergrade wheat, but so far the demand from outside markets is disappointing. A fair quantity of under-grade wheat has been placed with the North Island, and there has been a better demand for fowl wheat. Millers’ prices are as follow: —Flour, £lB to £2O; bran, £5; pollard, £9; and oatmeal, £lB to £l9. The potato market has •remained firm, .but in the north it has weakened. Good quality has been selling hero up to £7 per ton, and most of tho poor lines that were held in stores have been cleared out. Stocks are poor in comparison to what was held this time last year. Tho onion market is keeping steady, and a shipment ■is expected by the Paloona on Monday. A _ fair amount of. business has been done during the week in the fruit marts, some good lines of Delicious apples coming to hand, and there is a fair demand for good Stunners, and good cooking apples are short of supply. A shipment of Australian fruit will be to hand on Monday. Oranges and mandarins are wanted. Lemons are in over supply, and bananas are short of supply. Supplies of cauliflowers have increased, but prices continue high. Cabbages also rule high in price. For swede turnips, carrots, and parnsips prices arc moderate. Eggs have eased in price during the week, large quantities coming forward, and prices are expected to rule from Is 2d to Is 3d. Dairy pat butter is short of supply. Bacon and cheese are in good supply, and tho market is weakening. Honey is offering freely at The following prices were realised during the week: SpaiTOwbill oats, 2s 9d to 3s. Oats. —Gartons, 2s 3dChaff. —Prime oaten, £4 15s. Fowl wheat, 4s 6d to 4s 9d. Wheaten straw, £2 10s. Oaten, £3 ss. Beeswax, to Is 9d. Honey.—Sections, 10s dozen; bulk, 7d to 7id. Butter. —Creamery pats, Is lOd; creamery bulk, Is 9|d; dairy and separator, Is sd'. Cheese.—Mild, Bjd to 9d; matured, lid. Hitchon’s bacon, lljjd. Hams, Is. Apples.— Delicious, choice, 15s; Jonathans. 13s 6d ; Cleopatras, choice, to 12s ; cookers, 9e 6d. Pears. —Winter Coles. sjd. Adelaide oranges, 255. Oranges.—American, 40s. Tahiti oranges, repacks, 345. Pines, 25s 6d. Passions, 265. Potatoes.— Prime, £7. Carrots, 6s a cwt. Turnips, 2s 6d a cwt (slow sale). Cabbage, fia a sack. Cauliflowers.—Firsts, 12s a dozen. Pie melons, 15s a cwt. Lettuce, 2s a dozen. Walnuts.—Choice Akaroa,' Is 6d. Grapes, 3s. Peanuts, 6£d. Onions —Melbourne, 20s a cwt. 1 Pigs.—Best porkers, 7d; baconers, 7^d; overweight, 3|d. Eggs.—Fresh, Is 4d; cased, Is 3d. _ Poultry,—Hens, 3e 6d to 4s a pair; cockerels, 6s 6d a pair; ducks, 7s a pair; turkeys, Is lb-live weight.