FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Evening Star, Issue 22252, 1 February 1936, Page 10

FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Bray Bros. Ltd. report as follows for the week ended yesterday: Threshing in Canterbury has been delayed a little following on intermittent rain showers. have been sufficient to hold up threshing, but the break is not expected to affect the quality of the cereal. There is a steady demand for fowl wheat in small quantities, and supplies continue to be drawn from mid-Canter-bury. The- earlier threshed wheat that is not suitable for milling will meet a ready market as fowl wheat. The quotation locally remains unchanged at 5s Gd per bushel, ex store, Dunedin. Millers’ prices for flour, etc., are as follow: Flour.—2oolb, £l2 17s; 100’s, £l3 2s; 50’s, £l3 7s; 25’s, £l3 12s. Bran, £5 5s per ton. Pollard, £G 5s per ton. Oatmeal. —2001 b, £l9; 25’s, £2l. A few lines of Dun oats have been offering from Canterbury, but except in isolated eases the quality has not been attractive, although the oats have been sound and heavy'. Buyers concentrate on the dark-coloured Duns in preference to white. Threshing is not ver.v general in the north, and consequently' there have not boon many samples of Gartens to offer. On the other band, there is little interest being taken in the Carton market by local merchants, who will not require further stocks until the new season s oats in this district arc available. Forward quotations are on a basis of 2s 9d for A Gartons and 2s 7d for B’s, f.0.b., s.i., spread delivery to September. These prices are equivalent to 2s and Is lOd respectively on trucks, country sidings. The quotations are not, however. meeting with any response. _ Little business is being recorded m chaff, as merchants will not be able to handle supplies for a tew weeks until the stores arc relieved of space pressure through the heavy' quantities of wool coming forward. The small supplies of chaff’ reaching the market are being forwarded from Canterbury, and the value js round, about £5 10s -

per ton, ex store, Dunedin. Supplies are quite sufficient to meet the demand, which is not very great at this time of the year. . , „ . ~.. The market is fully supplied with potatoes. , • „ The seed market can as yet be hardly considered to be opened, as merchants generally are showing a desire to quit their carry-over of last season’s seeds before operating in the new season’s. Continental prices for the main pastoral seeds are on a very low basis, and this is also having a restrictive effect on business. Given a week or two of fine weather, offerings of ryegrass, fescue, and dogstail should become general. It is understood that there are already one or two lines of fescue on the machines at Gore. For the best quality machine-dressed Is per lb is mentioned, but buyers have not so far responded. The quotation for Danish cocksfoot is 23s per cwt, f.0.b., Stockholm, and this will no doubt affect the value of locally-grown cocksfoot, which may be given as about 6d per lb for farmers’ dressed lines. FRUIT REPORT. The fruit marts have had a busy time during the week, and satisfactory prices have been realised for most lines. Fair quantities of Gravenstein apples have reached the marts during the week from the Nelson district, and prices have eased. Tomatoes are in short supply, and prices advanced towards the end of the week. Outside-grown' tomatoes are not coining forward in any quantity. New Zealand-grown lemons, which had been in short supply, are now more plentiful. Strawberries, gooseberries, and red and black currants are about finished for the season. Only small quantities of stone fruits have been arriving from the Central Otago district. The cooler weather experienced in the Central this season has prevented the fruit ripening at the one time, and supplies as a consequence can be better regulated. Fair quantities are being sent to the northern markets, and following the outside demand and the smaller supplies to the local market prices in Dunedin have finned. Pears are on the market.

Raspberries are in full supply) buf the market could do with large con* signments of loganberries. Bananas are plentiful in the marts. A shipment of Tongan-grown arrived during the week, and a shipment-or Samoan-grown is on board the Wmga* tui. • A small shipment of Jamaican oranges arrived during' the weet* Prices are firm. _ Only choice quality cauliflowers art in demand. Potatoes are in over-supply. Marrows are more plentiful. Cucumbers are in good supply. ‘ There is little change as regard* other vegetables. Wholesale prices are as follow: Apples.—Gravensteins, 6s 6d to 8», dump cases; Worcesters, 6s to 7b bcl. Tomatoes.—Local hothouse, 7Jd to lOid: Christchurch hothouse, 6id to BJd lb; Nelson glasshouse, 4s 6d to 7* 9d Lemons—New Zealand, 10s to 15s. Grapefruit, 25s to 30s. Potatoes, 3s to 4s sugar bag. Black currants (wanted), 3d to 4d {&„ Red currants (wanted). 2d to 3d Plums, Is 3d to 4s case. Apricots.—Crated, 2d to 4d lb; cases, 3s to 5s case. ... . Peaches—Crated, lid cases, 2s to 4s. Pears, _3s to 5s 6d. Nectarines.—Crated, 2|d to 3id ih. Cucumbers, l.s to 3s dozen. French beans, 24d lb. Broad beans, ljd lb. Cabbage, Is to 2s case. Lettuce, 6d to Is dozen. Onions, £7 10s to £8 ton. Carrots, Is dozen. _ White turnips, 9d dozen. Spinach. Is dozen. Walnuts, 4d to 6d lb. Green peas, IJd to 2d lb. Honey.—Bulk, 4d to 5d lb; 101 b tin*, 5s 6d tin; 51b tins, 3s 3d tin. Butter. —Storekeeper, 9d to lid lb. Beeswax, Is Id lb. Oyster grit, 7s cwt. Fowl wheat, 5s 3d to 5s 6d bushel. Oats.—A Garton, 3s lid: B Garton, 3s 2d: crushed oats, 14s 6d bushel. Cross Keys meat meal. 16s bushej. Cheese, old to sid lb. Wheaton straw, £3 per ton. Lard, lb.