COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15820, 19 July 1913, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Friday evening. Cablo advice reports that the London wheat market is quiet, and that the 6um of 37s is asked for Australian off the coast. At this time last year two Australian cargoes brought 40s 2d and 39s 3d.

The quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom and the Continent is 5,018,000 quarters, as against 5,110,000 quarters at July 6. The Atlantic shipments totalled 501,000 quarters. The. grind total shipped from all countries to Europe since the beginning of August is now about 68,450,000 quarters, against 55,750,000 quarters for the corresponding period of 1911-12 season, and 71,670,000 quarters for the corresponding period in 1910-11. Wheat is quoted in Sydney to-day at 3s to 3s 8d (last week 3s 7d to 3s 7id); Melbourne, 3s 8d to 3s 9d (3s 8d to 3s 81<1); Adelaide, 33 8d to h BJd (unchanged). Cabled reports indicate that the United States will probably not have such an immense crop as was expected a few weeks ago, although the crop will bo largo in all probability. "Beerbohm" of June 6 states that, judging from private exports and estimates cabled, tho condition of winter wheat was appreciably lower than on May 1. The condition, howover. was so very high at the beginning of May that, even after allowing liberally for deterioration during May, the outturn promises to he materially larger than last year. On the other hand, it is not to bo oxpoctcd thai spring wheat will givo anything like the abundant yield obtained from the 1912 crops, especially as the area 6own is reported to l>e about 750,000 acres less than last year. The receipts at western points to dato havo been over 17,000,000 quarters larger than in the corresponding period last season, and as the exports have been only about! 7,000,000 quarters larger, reserves in millers' and dealers' hands must be appreciably larger than at this time Inst year.

Reporting upon European crop prospects, " Beerbohm " states that both in the United Kingdom and Franco the crops responded quickly to the change to fine, warm weather, and there had been a great, improvement in prospects generally. 'The outlook for the German wheat crop was reported to be up to the normal. Rye was Icfis favourably spoken of, and only a moderate yield was expected. In AustriaHungary crops were making good progress, and an average yield was expected, ijio avorago boing slightly smaller. Conditions in Italy woro very satisfactory, and a decidedly better .yiokl is expected than last year, given normal weather at harvest time. In Ronmania, Bulgaria, and Servia the area «wn is. of course, much smaller, lint prospects otherwise were favourable. Report) from most parte of_ the Russian Emjsxa oteted feat the condition of the crops,

on the whole, both ai regards autumn and spring sown wheat, wa6 moro favourable than Li6t year. Tho local wheat market still lacks animation, and the millers are only doing a hand-to-mouth trade. There seems to be every probability that there will bo plenty of wheat to meet millers' requirements until tho next harvest, consequently the millers— who are likely to be the only buyers for tho remainder of the year—appear quite content to use up their present stocks, and chanco the market later on in the season. Prices are. much about tho same as last week—namely, velvet, 4s 2d; Tuscan,. Marshall's white, and velvet-car, 3s 8d (ex trucks, Dunedin. Rood whole fowl wheat is worth 3s 4d to 3s 5d per bushel (sacks extra).

The tariff, of the Flourmillcre'. Association for flour, and on other lines, is as follows: — Flour-Sacks, £9 5s per ton; 1001b bags, £9 15s; 501b bags, £10; 251b bags, £10 ss. Bran, £4 15s per ton. Pollard, £6.

Oatmeal, £14 10s.

Pearl barley, £16 10s. Tho local oat market _ lias lapsed again into a stagnant condition. There is no outside inquiry, and the business passing during the past week has bec-n practically nil. Farmers are still holding firmly to their oats, waiting [or highcr'prices, and, in addition to what they have in 6tack on their farms, havo 60ino fairly large lines in Dunedin stores. Values a6ked by merchants may be quoted at 2s 6d to 2s 6|d for A Gartone, and 2s 5d to 2s 5Jd for B's.

Arrivals of oats at Auckland up to July 14 only reaching 4500 sacks. Advices etafo that,-provided no big shipments arrive, we should seo a firmer tono in the market ny about the first week in August. For prompt shipment A Gartons are quoted r»t 2s and B's at 2s 4W, while July, August, and September quotations are 2s 6d and 2s 5d (f.0.b., sacks in) respectively. September-October shipments of A Gartons are quoted at 2s 6jd (f.0.b., sacks in).

PRODUCE MARKET,

Supplies of chaff have eased off somewhat during the week, as a result of the heavy 6tocks at present being carried' in stores. There is no change to report in the price of prime samples, but medium and discoloured lots meet with but a slack demand.

Blenheim chaff is quoted freely at Auckland at 90s (f.0.b., sacks, in), July-August, but it is reported that northern buvera are very shy in face of the near approach of big Melbourne shipments of compreseed chaff.

Potatoes are freely coming to hand, but, as heretofore, many of the lots are badly graded, and come are frosted, These latter aro hard to place: Prices remain unchanged from last week. ° Under date July 14 Auckland reporte that the potato market there is bare of supplies, and that prices arc ruling from 10s to iss per ton above the present f.o.b. equivalent. " The southern markets appear very weak, and 75s (f.0.b., sacks in) is freely quoted. Christchurch quotations are 77s 6d, but no orders are being booked unless for urgent shipment." Supplies of eggs are quite equal to _ the demand, and there is a slackening inquiry. Onions are in full supply, and the demand is slow.

Consignments of dairy butter are not nearly equal to tho demand, and prices show a firmer tendency.

Pigs continue in brisk demand. • Current wholesale prices are as follow:—

Chaff.—Prime heavy oaten sho.af. f4 ss; medium to good, £3 to £3 15s; inferior, £2 and upwards (sacks extra).

Straw—Oaten, 'to £2 ss; wheaten, £2.

Potatoes.—Prime table sorts, £4 to £4 ss; medium, £3 to £3 10s per ton (ba>gs in).

Hay, £3 10s.

Onions.—Prime Canterbury, £8 to £8 10s; Victorians. £9 to £9 10s.

Eggs.—Fresh, Is sd; stamped, Is 5d to Is 6d.

Butter.—Da ; rv. 10|'d per lb; milled, 10d per lb; separator, in lib pats, lid.

Pitts— Baconora, per lb: porkers, 6Jd. Bacon.—Rolls (in quantities). 10W; sides, 9|d; .hams (under 201b). Is per lb.

FRUIT REPORT.

A shipment of 1781 cas.es of Rarotongan oranges and 960 cases of bananas will bo put up to auction on Monday. Wholesale agents have practically cleared out all their existing stocks of these fruits, so the shipmerit to arrive should meet with a ready sale at payable prices.

The usual'shipment of Sydney mandarins, pines, and passions is due to arrive to-mor-row, and the fruits will be sold on Monday. Citrus fruit is still short on tho Sydney market, and consequently there seems to bo no prospect of cheap oranges or mandarins from this quarter this season.

Tho Sydney consignment which came to hand last Saturday arrived ,in good order, and brought payable priccSj under the hammer.

The apple market remains steady. The bulk of tho lines are arriving from Nelson and Canterbury. A few cases of choice eating sorts were landed from Hobart on Tuesday, and realised up to 12s 6d per case of 401b. This was tho first lot to come in under the usual reduction of tho duty 'at this time of the year of -i,d per lb. The full duty is now Hobart * consignors appear to be quite satisfied to ship to this market so long as they can net prices equal to thoso obtaining in Australia. ■ Some cases of pears were also forward from Hobart. They landed in good order, and fetched up to 4d per lb.

Heavy supplies of vegetables are making their appearance, but in spite of the large consignments prices show an upward ten-

dency.

The following are the current wholesale prices:— Oranges.—Rarotongan, lis for repacks; Poorman oranges,' 10s 6d.

Bananas.—Ripe, 3jd; green, 12s to 14s; very short supply.

Apples.—Canterbury cookers, 6s 6d to 7s 6d per 401b case; extra choice, dessert— Otae;o Central. 2id to 3d; Nelson cookers, 6s 6d to 7s 6d f dessert, 6s 6d to 9s 6d; very few coloured dessert offering. Hobart Scarlet Pearmains, 12s 6d per case of 401b.

Tomatoes.—Hot house, Is per lb.

Pears.—Very few offering. Canterbury choice, to lCs; medium, 6s to 8s per.bushel ease.

Mandarins.—From 13s to 15s per case. Lemons.—Mildura and Adelaide, lis 6d to 12s.

Passion fruit, lis to lis (xl per box Pineapples, 9s 6d to 10s 6d.

Honey.—New fenson's, in 101b tins, 4s per till; bulk, V 2 i to 4d; gib packets, 3s to 3s 3d per dozen; bottles, 8s per dozen.

Vegetables.—Cabbage, up to 4s per dozen for largo drumheads and Savoys; other sorts, 6d. to Is 6(1 per dozen; sacks. 6d to ss. Lcttuee, 8d to Is per case. Cauliflowers, Is to 2s 3d for email per dozen; choice, 3a to 6s; extra large, 7s 6d; sacks, 3s 6d to 6s. Table carrots, 6d per dozen bunches; from 2s 6d to 3s 6d per cental bag. Turnips, 4d to fid per do-on bunches; swedes. 2s 3d to 2s 6d per sack, Is 3d to Is 6d cental bag-. Parsnips, 6d per dozen bundles. 2s 6d to 3s 6d per bag. Celery, 4d to 9d per bundle. Artichokes, Id per lb. Brussels sproirte, Is 6d to 2s per box of 61b.