LATE HARVESTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27057, 16 April 1949, Page 3

LATE HARVESTING

INTERRUPTED BY RAIN SEED MARKET QUIET Broken weather during the week has delayed the late harvesting of wheat and oats. Those farmers who have depended on being able to header their crops may now find that it is too late in the season to harvest by this method. Undergrade lines of oats and barley are not readily saleable, but lines of good quality are bringing full market rates. Most of the pea crops from Central Otago are now in store, and the quality is generally better than that of last year, although there were a few lines not up to export standard. The market for chaff is firm, and the supplies coming forward are just sufficient for immediate local requirements. The potato market is still being supplied by the auction rooms with lines brought down from South Canterbury. The digging of main-crop varieties in Otago has not yet begun. Another quiet week was experienced in the seed market owing to the fact that exporters have not yet had any advice in respect to licences for lines that have already been sold. No buying is taking place overseas at present, and as a result there is a reluctance to operate until the position in respect to licences becomes clear. Most of the new season’s seed is germinating well. The quality of Chewing’s fescue and crested dogstail this year is exceptionally good. The average germination of ryegrass will be below that of last year, but will still be above the average of the past few seasons. There is a fairly wide margin between growers’ and merchants’ ideas of the value of white clover, and as a result little business has been done. The white clover crop was not a large one, and the crop of Montgomery red clover will be much smaller than usual. The market for cowgrass is steady, and cocksfoot prices continue to be firm owing to the small quantity on offer.