COMMERCIAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 17 October 1923, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

CANTERBURY MARKETS

(by tbleguafh—riiEss association.)

OHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 16. Very little business is being done no-w'among merchants, even potatoes, which were in such keen demand for months past, being practically dead. The North Island markets appear to be overstocked, and the prices offering from that source are so low as to preclude business being done. A letter received from Wellington to-day stated that the local market was overfull, and it was not anticipated that any potatoes would be required for about ten days. A line of whites was recently sold on the wharf at Auckland ex Atua at £10 10s. "The number of farmers who have potatoes to sell is rather surprising," said a merchant to-day, when discussing the potato market. "Farmers who I had no idea had any potatoes left have been coming in during the past few days wanting to make sales." The demand for. seed potatoes is practically nil. The same merchant, speaking of the position, said he had not previously seen such a state of affairs. Generally, when table potatoes were high there was a good demand for the seed class, but this year inquiries for seed potatoes practically ceased about June.

Fowl wheat is a little easier than has been the case for some time, and plenty of it is about. Milling wheat is unobtainable, so merchants state. If there was any about they would be pleased to purchase it. A little more forward business has been done lately in partridge peas, and some sales were made on, Monday at 6s 4|d f.o.b. sacks in for April-JVlay delivery. There is little doing in other lines. ■.-.-.■■ '