STOCK MARKETS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 March 1925, Page 4

STOCK MARKETS.

POSITION REVIEWED. PRICES STILL HIGH. One of the most difficult, intricate and withal interesting features, of -a farmer’s life, especially that of a- sheep or fat cattle farmer, is to watch the vagaries of the market, for' on that knowledge depends very often his' operations on. the farm. The present season, opening with, such high prices for wool, and consequently mnitton, and such satisfactory, figures for beef cattle, following on. a time when prices were constantly hardening,' made it at particularly difficult task to judge with, any degree of accuracy how the market would tend. Of one thing, the fanner could) be pretty sure, that wool could hardly go higher, and yet several cases are reported where farmers, eager to, get a bit more, fell in and made a considerable loss, or rather missed the price they might haVe got. Similarly, when, a, .month- or so ago, the demand first for fat sheep and later for breeding ewes was pretty strong, some sheep fanners, in the hope of, .securing the extra, shilling; or two so dear to the dealer,, or . the holder of surplus stock, missed the market, and woke up to find the demand satisfied and themselves left with, stock * for which, they had to accept. a lower price than previously was being thrown at them. The sensational figures of last year and the earlv part, of this, were not am immixed blessing, for, as a farmer from Marion, formerlv of Hawera. nut the position, although he was able to buy sheep at a very low figure and sell at- a. very considerable advance, he was faced with the same problem that confronted the business man just before the boom, and the consequent rise in costs, that of buying in. his requirements at the inflated price. SHEEP. Although 'slieep prices eased to some extent so soon as the requirements of the works and of the farmers' quota for breeding, purposes were ' satisfied, prices are still very good, especially for good, istuff. There has been shown during the last week or two a tendency even to harden, because feed_ ia plentiful and the pastures looking well and likely to last good. The latest quotations are : Fat wethers up to 395. fat ewes up to 31s fid, 4-y£ar ewes up l to 28s, 4 and 5-tooth wethers up to 355. 2-toot.h wethers 325, good lambs up to 225. Stor© Sheep.—The. market eased up considerably during the last fortnight, and quality also shows a'decline, particularly for ewes. Several buyers are offering for small lots of ewes to complete their requirements, and this has bad a hardening tendency, and when this demand has bebn satisfied there will not be much inquiry until May. Good ewes and lambs are meeting ready sale at slightly reduced prices. The market for two-tooth wethers is slightly easier, and very few grown wethers are coining forward,' and the inquiry is more than equal to the supply. This will he probably accounted for by a number of graziers anticipating a good local market this winter.

Eat Sheen.—The price of fat wethers is slightlv easier, ewes lieing on a par with late rates. CATTLE, The istore cattle market remains firm, especially in the ease of grown bullocks. Fat cattle are also celling well, but several of the works do not seem too keen on operating, because of . the present, trouble at the .main ports. Present prices are: Fat bullocks £l2 to £l3, fat- cows- £G 10s to. £8 ss, store bullocks (4 and 5-year) £7 7s to £8 8s; works cows £3 to £5, grade Jersey heifers up to £B. ■Store Cattle. —The export price for cow beef has been reduced during the last, week, meat companies finding that the price paid per hundred being more than thev could realise on the Home market. However, tliei-e is still good competition at reduced rates. Ox beef is not too plentiful, and exporters are buying at about 30s per lOOlbs. There has been good inquiry for all classes of steers, particularly for cattle with condition and quality. ■ There is little or no inquiry for dairy in-calf heifers.. If there is to be any forward selling, the inquiry should come in shortly. Considering the number of cull cows coming into the yards, there should lie a good local inquiry. The weanev heifer market is very dull, and good quality heifers should be good buying at prices ruling in the yard.