CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2541, 26 November 1902, Page 17

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Christchurch grain and produce report (Lyttelton Time 3, 22nd inst.): — The local wheat market is in * more or less excited condition at the present time. Th-j slight Tush which took place during the early part of the week, to fill North Island orders, has "brought the local millers on to the market.' This has had the effect of still further firming prices, as holders, recognising that stocks are now in very small compass, show a. strong inclination to hold for higher prices. Merchants and agents find great difficulty in filling orders, while values are so high that speculators cannot see their way to operate with any apparent chance of making a> profit. Local millers have raised the price of bran and pollard by another £1 per ton, and sow ask £7 per ton. Oats of all kinds are badly wanted, but the market is bare, and the holders of the small stocks sow in store are very firm in their demands. There is a strong demand for prime parcels of oatsheaf chaff, but Aim elsu» i» virtually out of ihe anarket, and

holders of inferior parcels are demanding full quotations for their lots. Owing to the shortage of supplies in Sydney, and a (few orders from there being received, there has been a fair demand for Derwent potatoes. Scarcely any have been offered by growers, who have just about exhausted stocks, and supplies had to be procured for merchants and speculators who held stocks in store, with the result that £4 6s ex store was paid for several small lots. Yesterday's steamer took away over 1500 bags to Sydney, and this will be about the last for the present season, as the few tubers left here are keeping too badly for export at this late stage of the season. The exports for the present year, from January l to November 21, have been 211,552 bags, as against 291,000 bags for the corresponding period of last,year. Ashburton produce markets • —Several millers have pai^ flying visits with the object of purchasing wheat, and they are evidently •much' disappointed at the small quantity available. Second-class wheat, which was befcte saleable, only as fowl wheat, is commanding more attention. Amongst others, the following sales have been effected during the week:— 7500 bushels mixed Tuscan and pearl, 4s 3d ; 3000 bushels of the same description at 4s 2d; while Tuscan and Hunters alone, if prime, are selling readily from 4s Id to 4s 2d ; whole fowl wheat (scarce), 3s 2d; seconds, 3s. A few small lines of oats have sold (for local feed purposes at 2s 6d, but in others no business has been reported. Quotations are unaltered, although merely nominal. Oatsheaf chaff is very scarce, and is now commanding £4 5s per ton. Timaru grain markets (Herald, 22nd inst.): — The wheat market is kejping very firm at advanced prices. As high as 4s 7d on trucks at country stations has been paid for a very prime line of velvet. Tuscan and red chaff have also advanced, and 4s 4d ex stora, equal to 4s 5d f.0.b., has been secured; and up to 4s 6d ex store for lines, including some velvet. The market is very bare of all kinds of milling and fowi wheat, and prices are expected to go even nigher. The market for oats is keeping very firm, and a good few lines of damaged and discoloured have been sold during the week at up to 2s 3d f.0.b., sack 3 extra. Extra prime and bright samples haye sold up to 2s 6d to 2s 7Jd f.0.b., sacks sd ; and good bright Duns up to 2s 9d. In barley good average quality has been, sold at 3s 4d f.0.b., sacks sd. The season (for potatoes is now over. Timaru wool and skin sales: — The fortnightly sales were held on Wednesday last, when large catalogues were disposed of at satisfactory rates. The following quotations give an indication of values: — Skins — Crossbred, 3s, 3s sd, 3s 7d, 3s lOd, 4s, 4s Bd, to 4s 103 ; halfbred, 2s 9d, 3s Id, 3s 4d, 3s 6d, 3s lid, 4s sd, ss, 5s Bd, 5s lid, to 6s 2d; merino, 4s 2d, 4s 4d, to 4s sd; three-quarterbred, 3s 2d, 3s Bd, 3s lOd, 4s 3d, 4s sd, 4s Bd, to 4s 9d; lamb, lid to Is 6d; hoggetts, 09 6d, 2s 9d, to 3s. Skins at per lb— - Merino, sd, 52d, to 6d ; crossbreds, 3Jd to 4d ; halfbred, 4d to 4|d; three-quarterbred, 3Jd. Bagged woo! — Halfbred ewe, Ed to 52d; crossbred, 4£d; dead, 3Jd. 4d, to 4id; bellies and pieces, 2Jd, 3d, to 3Jd-; trimmings, 2Jd to 2£d. Fat made from 19s to 19s 6d per cwt. The exports of grain and produce from Lyttelton for week included the following lines: — 1797 -sacks wheat, 501 sacks and 2174 bags flour, 1072 sacks and 995 bags oats, 94 sacks meal, 915 sacks barley, 100 sacks malt, 332 sacks bran, 301 sacks sharps, 105 sacks pollard, 3392 sacks chaff, 141 sacks peas, 144 sacks beans, 3338 sacks potatoes, 2017 sacks seed, 193 bales and 60 trusses hay, and 248 bales straw. The experts for Australia were: — 371 sacks wheat, 310 sacks oats, 890 sacks barley, 215 sacks bran, 197 sacks sharps, 90 sacks pollard, 2456 sacks potatoes, and 30 bales hay. For the United Kingdom were shipped 140 sacks peas, 83 sacks beans, and 1868 sacks seed. The balance of the lines were for New Zealand ports. -