FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Evening Star, Issue 21724, 19 May 1934, Page 13

FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Bray Bros. Ltd., Dunedin, report as follows for week ended to-day:— The long spell of wet weather lias held up the threshing of wheat and farmers are now waiting an opportunity to get on with the work. The quality of the wheat recently delivered to the market is much better than that which had been arriving previously and there is no difficulty in placing the lines with millers. In a few instances, however, the grain has been affected by the weather conditions and rendered unsuitable for milling. During May the advanced prices aro on the basis of 3s 7d, f.0.b., sacks extra, for Tuscan. Supplies of fowl wheat are increasing and it is difficult to maintain recent rates, which have been on the basis of 3s 6d per bushel, sacks extra, ex the store. It appears there will be no surplus milling wheat in this district for the Wheat Purchase Board to take over, but the board is accepting deliveries of surpluses in Canterbury. A fair quantity of the offerings from farmers are, however, below nulling standard, and this wheat will eventually have to be sold as fowl food. _ With the'quantity available values will,.no doubt, soon be affected--Millers’ prices for flour, etc., are as follow’s:—

Flour: 2001 b, £l4'2s; 100’s, £l4 17s; 50’s, £ls 2s; 25’s, £ls 7s. Bran, £4 10s per ton. Pollard, £6 10s per ton. . Oatmeal:'2oolb, £l9; 25’s, £2l. ' Offerings ’of oats, from the country ’ have been on the light side. The only . demand at present is from millers, who i have now purchased fair stocks. Milling oats are now commanding higher prices than those ruling for shipment to the North Island. Milling quality up to 431 b in weight is realising Is lOd, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings. / Lines below this weight are either B Cartons or under grade, the value of. the former being Is 7d.and the latter • Is 4d to Is sd, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings. The shipping demand is very ■ quiet and merchants are inclined to hold for 2s 7d,-f.0.b., s.i., for .' A’s and 2s 4d for B’s. Only a few _.j orders are coming to hand, and these ’ aro on a, basis of Id per bushel less than . the above prices, but some business has been accepted by shippers at the figure . named. Practically no supplies of chaff have been arriving on the market owing to the wet weather prevailing, in the South • Island preventing cutting. The stores, ; however, hold sufficient supplies to meet the poor demand, and values remain i unaltered at £4 5s to £4 10s, ex store, i <-sacks extra, for load lots ■ , Suppliers of potatoes have also been r affected by the weather, which is pre- < venting growers from digging. The stores hold fair supplies, but the mar--1 ket has firmed temporarily. In some • instances sales have been mads at £4 10s per ton, sacks included, ex store. f .The shipping market has also improved, v - There is now a general tendency throughout the district for farmers to hold their tubers in anticipation of '. higher values. The outlook for the futuro is uncertain, and it depends to a large extent upon the demand from the ' North Island. The crops in South Can- •' ' terbury and Otago have been affected < ‘ by blight, but the loss by disease will • be there than made tip by the increased 1 yields in North Canterbury. It is also ' apparent that the extent of the ravages ' of blight invthe Otago district is not so bad as was at first thought was the - ■ case. The early potatoes were mostlyof the King Edward variety, but now -'''That the main crop of Arran Chiefs is . arriving it is noticeable that the potatoes are -not so seriously affected as was the case with the earlier crops. A .quiet period is being experienced in most lines of seeds, but the markets remain firm. It is now apparent that there is a definite shortage in all lines ’ -of seeds. The brown top and Chewing’s Fescue markets show a further - hardening in prices, and reports from • ‘ Christchurch state that certified Aka--roa cocksfoot is selling up to Is 4d per ' ,Ib. _ Withthe increased demand in the ; " spring it is anticipated that prices will be higher still for this variety. Dogs- ; ; tail is also in short supply The wet, cold weather caused a fall- ' ing off in the dernaiuhfor all classes Jof ' fruit. Large quantities' of inferior " .apples are accumulating in the, fruit . - marts. Sales of inferior dessert and ' cookers are hard to effect. There is, however, V good inquiry for first quality Delicious and Jonathans. Cox’s Orange Pippins are practically finished for the • season, and any good , lines coming to hand are, realising satisfactory prices. Nelson-grown Sturmers arc on offer, but are not meeting with any great demand,. . .. .. ... " Heavy supplies of Winter Cole pears have been coming forward from Canterbury and Central Otago, and the market is easier. Californian lemons are high in price. New Zealand-grown are meeting with a good demand. Gros Colmar grapes have a sound demand. They are offering in small lots only.

The tomato' season is drawing to a close, only choice quality being inquired for. Poor coloured lots are on offer at low rates The only oranges on the market until to-day have been a few Californian. The ■\Vaipiata arrived this morning with a shipment of Aitntakl oranges. They arrived in excellent condition, and wore disposed of to retailers at a satisfactory figure.Quinces are inquired for, and any ■good lines coming in are bringing good prices. The Maui Pomare’s shipment of Samoan and Niue Island bananas arrived ex rail from Lyttelton on Tuesday, and they were in prime green condition. A good proportion of the consignment was jfiaced with the x-etailers, and the balance is ripening up nicely. Most lines of green peas have been affected by the weather, and these are hard to place. Prime green lines are selling freely; The market is glutted with marrows and pumpkins, and most lines have had to be picked over. The demand for cauliflowers is confined to sound quality only. Other vegetables are in heavy supply, with low rates ruling. Eggs are very scarce, and the demand is very much in excess of the supply. There is a good inquiry for dairy butter. Honey and cheese are selling

freely. The following prices were realised during the week: — Apples.—Cox’s Orange, 5s 6d to 9s 6d; Jonathans, 4s to 6s; Delicious, 4s to 6s 6d; Cleopatras, 6s 6d to 6s 6d; Wolseley, 4s to ss. Pears. —Conference, to 3s; Winter Coles, 2s Cd to ss; Buerre Bose, 3s to 4s 6d; Jargonelle, 2s 6d to 4s. Tomatoes. —Locals, 3d to 8d; Christchurch, 2d to 3Jd; small seconds, IJd to .Central Otago, Id to 2d. Grapes.—Hothouse, lOd to Is 2d; Gros Colmars, Is Bd. New Zealand passions. 6s to Bs. New Zealand lemons, 20s to 22s 6d. Californian lemons, to 555. Californian navel oranges, to Mis. Californian Valencias, to 42s Gd.

Californian grapefruit, to 40s. Aitutaki oranges, 16s 6d to 21s. Bananas.—Ripe, 20s. Scarlet runner beans, 2d. French beans, 2id to 3d. Peas.—Choice, 2d to 21d; others, Id to 1-id. Quinces. —Wanted ; 2d to 2Jd. Cabbages, Is 6d to 2s 6d. Cauliflowers, 3s to ss. Carrots, 2s to 3s sugar bag. Cucumbers.—Hothouse, 2s 6d to 4s 6i’ per dozen; outside, 2s per dozen. Lettuces, Is to Is Cd. Potatoes, 4s 6d to 5s 6d. Onions, to £3 5s per ton. Marrows, to ss. Pumpkins, to 3s 6d per bag. N.I. melons, to 9s. Honey.—£lb pats, 3s 6d per dozen; section, 8s 6d; 101 b tins, ss; bulk, 4d to 5d per lb. Fowl wheat, to 4s 6d per bushel. Dairy Butter.—Wanted; to 71d per lb. Cheese, sfd per lb. I'lggs. market rates. Macdonald and Miller’s Gold Medal bacon, lOd to lid. Boneless bams, Is Old. Lard, Cid.