GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 58, 5 February 1938, Page 4

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Per Press Association. / . CHRISTCHURCH, Fob. 4. Deliveries of wheat and oats. - particu larly wheat, arc increasing rapidly and arc now very heavy. The condition of the wheat handled this week appears to be not quite as good as that which came forward earlier, a number of lines having shown a moisture content considerably higher than the limit of, 15.5 per cent. In many cases it is difficult to account for the excess moisture in the samples, which have been threshed, under what appeared to be ideal conditions. The trouble appears to occur in both headed and stookthreshed wheat. The system of .differentiating samples with different moisture content has met-with the general approval of the trade and growers, the only complaints from a section of the brokers having met with no wide response. Christchurch, Ashburton and Oamaru brokers have assured the Wheat Committees of their approval of the scheme.

Millers have found this season .that much headed wheat has been Sent forward in bags not properly filled. Jn every ease bags have been under-weight. This,, of course, docs not make any difference to the millers, but it is pointed out that farmers are paying charges on extra sacks when these charges might be avoided by filling the sacks properly. Oats have been offered so plentifully that tho market is definitely weaker and there is little demand for any grade. A Cartons have come back to 2s lOd for heavy samples, and B Cartons to 2s Bd. Algerians, which arc not so plcntifgul as white oats, are ..worth 2s 9d to 3s. Fanners are generally so busy with their wheat that offerings of ryegrass have not been heavy. Perennial is worth 3s 9d and Italian 2s 9d to 3s. Only small roadside linos of cocksfoot have so far appeared from Banks Pcninsulu, and the quality is not very good. Merchants arc offering fid to 7d per lb. A few lines of Plains cocksfoot havo been offered, merchants’ ideas of value being 7d> to Bd. It appears that the crop will not be largo. Clovers are dull, and stocks are heavy, and there is little inquiry. North Island inquiry for cocksfoot and ryegrass is bo•■'iimjim to appear, although tho demand is small syet. Potatoes are very dull and are hardly mentioned. The nominal price remains unchanged.