TIMARU GRAIN MARKETS.

North Otago Times, 3 August 1903, Page 3

TIMARU GRAIN MARKETS.

(Tiniaru Post.) It would take a wise man indeed to state exactly what is the true condition of the grain and produce markets at'tbe present time. The majority of merchants in Tiniaru and elsewhere report'that no business ispassing. This state of alfairs is attributed to the fact that millers are heavily stocked, and Will not require to go on the. market for the next three months; and also to the fact that there is a vast difference between buyers' and. sellers' ideas of values, Ihe latter endeavoring to get the high prices which were ruling in the earlier part of the season, while the former are not prepared to givo them. From a telegram received in town to-day we judge that there is an inquiry for prime Tuscan wheat in the southern districts. If all goes well with the Australian crop—and there appears every prospect of it at present—tiie harvest on the other side Will begin in November, end the new wheat may be expected to be on the market in December. This, of course, will not enhance the prospects for high prices here, .But as against, all the pes'imistic forecasts of low prices and small sales comes this apparently strange fact; that in | Tiniaru this week a bona Ii:le sale of prime velvet wheat was made, over 4000 bushels being sold in one line to a southern miller at eijtial to lis lljd on trucks, Tiniaru. From this it would appear that the market is not down ; but as stated above, it would puzzle a Solomon to define " what's what " in the grain markets at the present time, No reliable quotation can be given for oats, Barley is worth from 2s Cd for feed-, to 3s for malting; and chick wheat is selling at all prices, Potatoes are being bought wholesale in town at £2 15s per ton, sacks in. Flour is selling at £9 10s to £lO per ton, bran at £3, pollard at £4, and oatmeal at £lO 10s.