GRAIN AND PRODUCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23135, 6 September 1938, Page 7

GRAIN AND PRODUCE

CHEAPER POTATOES

STOCKS MAY BE WITHHELD EXPORTS TO SINGAPORE Practically the only price alteration in grain and produce lines in Auckland during the past week has been a further decline in values for South Island potatoes. The market again has eased, and prices arc about 7s (id a ton lower. Attempts are now being made to prevent the arrival of excessive quantities irom the south, so that the present surplus may be cleared. Small quantities are being shipped to Singapore, but this is not expected to relieve the accumulation of stocks in the South Island.

The warmer weather has resulted in a slackening in the demand for onions, and the market is dull. The last consignments of onions from Australia will arrive in the middle of this month, and these arc expected to meet the demand until stocks from Canada arc available in October. Stocks of fowl wheat are fairly low, but maize and chalf are now more plentiful.

The prices named in the following market reports are f.o.b or f.0.r., Auckland. In estimating the value ex store, an allowance of 3d per 1001b. on grains and os a ton on potatoes, etc., should be mado. POTATOES The local market for potatoes has eased slightly during tho past week, and prices are about 7s (id lower at £i 17s (id a ton. The surplus which has been on hand for a few weeks is slowly being dealt with. A suggestion has been made to growers in the South Island that they should endeavour to refrain from sending excessive quantities so that the market may be cleared. The Waipiata arrived yesterday with from 5000 to 0000 sacks, hut these will not he required for a few days. Up to August a total of s -,000 sacks of potatoes have been shipped Trom Lyttelton to Auckland, against 71,027 for the same period last year. About half this amount also has come from Timaru.

OXIOXS A small .shipment of Australian onions arrived by the Kauri on Saturday. The main consignment for September deliveries, however, will arrive by the Wanganella. which is due on September l.'t. It is expected that a further shipment will be carried by the Kaikorai. These supplies will mark the close of importations from Australia, and Canadian onions will arrive on the local market early in October. Prices for Australian onions are unchanged at I (is a bag. FOWL WHEAT Fowl wheat is now selling- freely and deliveries arc still being made from store. Stocks, however, are now fairly low. and it is not expected that further supplies front Australia will he available before the end of this month. Prices arc maintained at last week's level of from lis lOd to r_>s Id per lOOlb. MAIZE Maize is meeting with a fairly good inquiry, and a fair proportion of the sales are being made direct from the Bay of Plenty. Samples are now a little drier and better trade has resulted, as the quality is nowgood enough to enable the stocks to be kept There has been no alteration in quotations, which range from lis rid to 12s per iuolb. BARLEY Although barley is selling moderately well for pig food, trade otherwise is slow. Values are maintained at from JOs Od to 10s Sd per lOUlb. Gooil stocks are available. OATS AND CHAFF The market for chaff in the South Island is now a trifle easier, as the finer weather has resulted in larger quantities being released. Plenty of good quality chaff is nowavailable from Blenheim and Canterbury. The range of prices is unaltered at from £lO Lis to £ll Os a ton. A steady market is ruling for feed nats, and there has been no change in quotations ot lis 5(1 to lis Sd per KlOlb. BR AX AXI) POLLA RD A small quantity of bran arrived by the Kauri over the week-end. The demand is exceptionally keen, however, and it is expected that stocks will be exhausted in a few days. Supplies arc still unprocurable locally. Late rates of about ,C 0 los a ton are maintained. Pollard is meeting with a ready sale, but pood stocks are available. Prices continue to range from £0 JOs to £9 los a ton.

PUKEKOHE PRODUCE PRICES' REMAIN STEADY CAULIFLOWERS AND CABBAGES [from our owV" correspondent] PUKEKOHE. Monday Practically 110 alteration in the value of cauliflowers and cabbages has taken place in the Pukekohe produce trado since last Monday. Both these vegetables are rather scarce, but supplies are still coming in in sufficient quantities to meet the demand. Cauliflowers remain at 12s 6d a sack and 9s 4d a bag, while Drumhead cabbages to-day are at 16s 6d a sack and 12s 6d a Chapman bag. Savoys arc quoted at 18s a sack and 14s a bag, while Enfield spring cabbages, which arc now coming forward in fair quantities, are selling at 9s 6d a bag. Pumpkin values remain unaltered at from 6s to 6s 6d per cwt., while carrot prices are firm at from 4s 4d to 4s 6d a sugar bag. Supplies of local parsnips arc now exhausted, and tho trado is being supplied by consignments from Levin. These are quoted at 9s a sugar bag. Pukekohe seed potatoes are steady at 10s per cwt. Crops of Pukekohe early potatoes are coming on well, and it is expected by the trade that supplies should be available in about four weeks' time.

• Cauliflower plants, which are rather short, are selling at 12s Oil a thousand. No cabbage plants are available at the moment, but further supplies should be ready next week. Onion plants are steady at from 4s to -Is 6d a thousand.

MINING NEWS LOLOMA AND EMPEROR HIGHER VALUES REPORTED Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines N.L., Tavua, Fiji, has resumed driving the 221 feet south drive off the main east crosscut at CO feet, at the main shaft, and higher values are reported over an increased width. The drive has been advanced to 87-1 feet, the average value of the last .'U3 feet being iJ6.4d\vt. a ton over a width of (iO inches. The general manager of Emperor Mines, Limited (Fiji), in his report for the four weeks ended August 10, advises that during the. last 10 days of the period the values in the development headings on No. level showed an improvement over those reported for the last period, and gave indications of the possibility of further improvement.

YIELDS OF COMPANIES iWr.vtown (Otago).—Return for August: 77408. in 417 hours. .Mataki (Murchison). —2(30z. from 7200 yards in 105 hours. Xeniona (West Const). —360z. from 11,100 vanls in 90 hours. Now River (West Coast). —450z. from 7500 yards in 98 hours. White's Electric' (West Coast). — lGoz. from 7500 yards in 100 hours. Worksop Extended (West Coast). — 420z. from 8000 yards in 117 hours. WELLINGTON ALLUVIALS The dredge of Wellington Alluvial*, Limited, Macquarie River, New South Wales, has passed beyond the old tailings. For the four weeks ended August 20, a total of 120007 i. of gold was obtained from 272,000 yards in 53S hours.