COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18016, 15 February 1922, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

THE PRODUCE MARKETS,

POTATOES IN HEAVY SUPPLY.

The wholesale is a littlo quieter this week, as buyer g are now holding off for next month's account, except for urgent requirements. Shipping is not of much interest, very little having arrived during the past weok or two, so that business is largely confined to deliveries ex store.

Retail is still attraction in town. The summer sales are in full swing and are being heavily supported by the public. Prices are more favourable than they have been for years, and the city is thronged with exceptionally large crowds of buyers. The weather has been absolute perfection, and this has assisted the drapers in the disposal of light summer goods.

Hardware—Business is rather quiet in building lines of many requisites, the principal demand being for household goods. : Canned Goods.—The hot weather is increasing the demand for most canned goods. Fruit i 8 selling well, in spite of the slightly higher prices, compared with the cut rates quoted last year and the plentiful supplies of fresh fruit. Fish is naturally selling well, tho Lenten demand always stimulating the inquiry. Most varieties of imported fish are in amplo supply, tho general range of prices being well below last year's. Dairy Produce.—The steady rise in values in London is particularly cheerful after a long period of falling prices. This is already stimulating trade in country districts. Sharp Rise in Eggs. Errs.—A sharp rise has taken place, and the wholesale quotation is now 2a 7d. Thia has at last brought the price to tho same level as at this time last year, whereas for the past eight months the price has been alvut two-thirds of that ruling at the corMspondinK period of the previous year. Tho cause is the falling off in tho supply, due to so many farmers reducing their flocks ol poultry on account of the high price of food making it auite impossible to show a profit while ecus were so low. The price of egga camo down on account of tho importations of foreign egg pulp, but the position is now quite reversed. The natural law of supply and demand has again operated and put eggs up to nearly a record for thi6 time of the year, while food is on the verge of a substantial fall. Maize and oats are already down, pollard and bran came down a littlo this week and will probably fall still more, while wheat is expected to fall next month to a figure not much more than half the present price. Potatoes.—Supplies aro very heavy, probably on account of farmors digging quickly, in order to avoid second growth from the rain of a fortnight ago. .Unfortunately really good quality are rather Bcarce, and these are selling at about 8s to 8s 6d ex Btore, but poorer grades aro being pushed off at about half that price. The second crop at Pukekohe is reportod to be doing well, as a result of the rain, and it is hoped that the exceptionally hot weather this week will not prevent a good yield through premature ripening.

Heavy Export ol Onions. Onions.—Onion growerß have " struck oil" thia year. • Aftor a lons series of bad seasons, duo to the absence of export trade resulting in low prices, a heavy export demand has set in this year, and a sharp rise in price has taken place. Some growers had already rushed in their onion 3 at the unprofitable prices ruling at the beginning of the season, but the rise has come in time to benofit most growers, and the aggregate difference will mean thousands of pounds extra to those engaged in this branch of farming. This is particularly cheering from a national point of view, ha-ing regard to the poor returns this year from so many other branches of farming. A few very substantial shipments have already gone, but the best will go by the Niagara next week. Already arrangements have been made for shipping at least 4000 cases and 3000 sacks, and ,the total quantity will probably be a record. This dramatic chango in the position has naturally put up the local price, and good quality are quoted this year at 10b to 12b ex store. It is understood that some shippers are oversold, and this is having a further hardening effect on the market The Niagara consignments are going to Honolulu and striking the scarcity that always exists at this time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Oats.—A temporary scarcity has caused tho price to advance to a parity with Southern values, and wholesale quotation this week is is 4d to 4a Od ox atoro in email linos. Furthor supplies are on the way, but local merchants are not Betting up many from the South until the new harvest is in. as prices will probably be lower. Export inquiry from Australia appears to have died out. Chaff.—Best Blenheim is selling at 9s to 96 3d ex store, with a reduced inquiry. Local IB beginning to come in, and is realising fis fid upwards, according to quality. A good many samples will be discoloured thia year, but early lots were under thatch before the weather broke, and should be quito sound and sweet.

The Price of Wheat. Wheat.—The bargain mado by the Government with the Canterbury farmers will begin to operate next month. Unfortunately for the general public, the price is about la per bushel above the world's parity, so that preRumably bread will bo proportionately higher for the next twelve months than it would have boen if wheat were 6old in the opon market. However, tho price is to be well below present rates, and this will allow of a reduction of about £3 103, per ton in flour, as soon as millers get their supplies of the oheaper wheat, so that bread will be reduced a little. It wa9 thought that stocks of wheat would hardly last till the now harvest, came in, but it is wonderful how the public can reduce their purchases in a falling market Every baker and householder is presumably working on the barest possible stock, in the sure expectation of a substantial fall in flour, so that there will be a great rush of orders, to stock up a normal supply, when the price is reduced.

Fowl Wheat.—Still rather scarce, and quotation is firm at 10s 3d ex store in small wholesale late. Consumers, however, are buying as little as possible, seeing that the new price will not be much more thin half present rates, and when the new wheat is available it is expected that this grain will again form the major portion in the menu of most yards, unless the enforced use of oats has caused poultry-keepers to appreciate the , value of the latter grain. Bran and Pollard.—Both are reduced this week, partly in anticipation of low prices of wheat, which will rule next month. In the case of bran, however, the position has been forced by the exceptionally heavy growth of pastures this year, so that there is no demand for bran for cows and horses this year. It is very rarely that the month of February finds every paddock and every garden stockod up with such a luxuriant growth of pastures and fodder crops as aro seen this year. Some of the maize crops are ■ 10ft. and even 19ft. high, so that all animals aro faring well. Pollard is in good demand, the requirementa for p>?s and poultry beinc apparently heavier than usual. In the caso of the latter it would appear that farmers are using moro soft food during the high price of grain, while the lower returns for dairy produce cause more attention than usual to be given to pigß. Maize.—Rather scarce and all consignments are read'ly placed at 4s 9d to 5s in wholesale line? on the wharf. Seeds.—This is the season of gra*s seed, but pn far the sales are rather disapooiiting. and it would apnear that no larjo areas are being put in. Cocksfoot ha.i a firming tendency, as a result of tho light crop at Akaroa. but there will probably be enough to go round. Fertilisers—A little, better inquiry is setting in for most descriptions, including basic slag, which is required for top-dressing. Calcutta bonedust is scarce, but local is selling well at a more favourable rato than for some years.