SOUTHERN MARKETS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 195, 19 July 1941, Page 7

SOUTHERN MARKETS.

HEAVY POTATO SHIPAIENTS. (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 18. Further very heavy shipments oi potatoes to the North Island from Lyttelton, Timaru, Dunedin, and Bluff this week have lor the time being completely stifled any enquiry for the Canterbury crop and the market, which at present is only nominal, has shown a sharp recession from last week. Three ships have left lor Auckland this week already, taking among them about 82,000 sacks from Lyttelton and the three 'southern ports. In addition the Waipiata is due to leave to-morrow with a further 8000 sacks from Lyttelton and Timaru. The total of 40,000 sacks will probably mean that the northern market will l>e kept quiet for fully a month Reports are that there will be no shortage this season in many districts; in fact, substantial patches have not yet been dug. However, the price to farmers is still £8 for whites and Dakotas and £9 for Huttons, and these arc by no means bad figures.

As the season progresses onions are becoming firmer and are now. worth £lO to farmers. There is very little enquiry for chaff, which remains at £8 15s, and for oats there arc a few buyers for the limited quantities offering. Odd shipments of small seeds are being made overseas as space offers, but otherwise trade is very slow. There has even been some slackening in the inquiry from the Northern Hemisphere.