GRAIN REPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1950, 4 April 1889, Page 18

GRAIN REPORT.

Messrs Samum, Obb a»d Co.,.ptafford street, report for the week ending April 8/ as follows :— The weather dnring the past week has been to«. but still not sufficiently good to admit of leading la from the morning, therebelng to little wind to arf; up the scookt. Fortunately It haa not been too warm, or the wheat would suffer ; but oats in stook v havB already suffecod through th«j wrt w»tbw w» W

eight day» ago. is not general in the South, and arrivals of oats from that quarter are itill limited, so that all samples coming forward meet with a very good demand, as the Australian markets are being well maintained, the quantity ' arriving being only sufficient to meet pressing demands ; so soon, however, as the speoial steamers begin to arrive with large supplies it is expected a decline in prices will ensue. In wheat, the business passing is of no great magnitude, millers being yet chary of how the market will go, as both at Home and on the Continent prloes have gone down, while in Sydney a reaction has also taken place. Latest cable advices report that the New York market has gone back as much as 3£d per bushel during the past three weeks. This movement is important to the Australian markets at the present time, as the price of Calif ornian wheat is governed by the same considerations as those which affect the New York market, bo that additional contracts have been filled by Sydney with California, at a price under which it could be got here. This is to be regretted, as there is no saying where it will end. Wheat.— As we have already said, locally our millers will only buy from hand to mouth, as they cannot see that prices can remain as they are ; while their orders for Hour do not warrant them laying in large stocks. Usually at this time of the year they do lay in largely, but when the market steadies down a good business may be looked forward to. During the week we * jld at the following quotations : Prime Tuscan and velvet, 4s 5d to 4s 7d ; red straw, 4§ 4d to 4s fld ; ordinary, 4s to- 4s 3d. Oats.— The last few days they have been in very good demand— so much so that prices firmed as much as a penny a bushel ; but It is only their scarcity for milling purposes that caused the advance, and as the requirements in this department are only limited, the prices obtained cannot betaken as a precedent of what could be got for the next few days. For shipping purposes a few speculators had got space and had to use it, and as a consequence had to buy at prices over their limits without a margin to themsrlveß These two features have therefore kept the market in a state of buoyancy. Our sales have beeu up to 2s B§d for prime milling, 2s 7d to 2a 8d for heavy bright feed, long Tartars 2s 6d to 2 lOd, and for seed according to quality. Barley .— Malsters are barely operating to any great extent, but the demand for shipment continues, and is likely to keep so so long as this cool seaaon lasts. Prime malting is worth up to 4s 3d, (sacks 6d) ; ordinary, 3s 8d to 4s ; milling, 3s Bd. Chaff.— The market Is not being over supplied on account of threshing engines being busy threshing grain, consequently the prices lately ruling have been maintained— say for prime oaten sheaf, if well cut and screened, £3 10s to £4; ordinary, £3 to £3 10s. Potatoes.— The arrivals during the past few days (over 70 tons) have toen rather more than our market could stand, more especially as shipping them to outside markets is out of the question. Sydney having again got swamped with a further supply from Tasmania, prices have receded. They are coming forward now in condition fit to go into store, so that should the prices go back during the coming week this will be resorted to. We have sold during the week about 60 tons at from £4 2s 6d to £1 7s 6d.