CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 18

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

CTtustchurch. grain and produce report (Lyttelton Times, 6th inst).: — There has been a fair amount of new wheat on offer, and a good inquiry on the part of locp.l millers has restilted in several lots changing hands, the prices averaging from 2s 7d per bushel for Hunters, 2s 8d for Tuscan, to 2s 9d for pearl at country stations. In some cases, however, farmers will not accept these prices, and prefei to store .heir wheat. Oats have not been offering very freely, the early offerings of merchants having apparently discouraged farmers irom forwarding their samples. There is very little outside inquiry, as the London and South African markets can be znore cheaply supplied from Australia. What little business is doing takes place on the basis of late quotations. The barley market is unchanged, and a few lots of this season's chaff have been sold at £2 pei ton, delivered at countiy stations. The cocksfoot harvest is progressing splendidly, and holders are apparently too busy to come to town with samples. Very little business has taken place so far. There is no ryegrass offering at present.

Ashburton grain markets, for the week ended Fruday last: — Wheat. A few samples have been offered, and the quality shown has been exceptionally good. Farmers, howevei, seem disinclined to accept present rates, and already the stores are beginning to receive this season's gram. Merchants and millers are wilkng buyers of all prime lines offering. Quotations for the new wheat are — Tuscan 2s Bd, Hunters 2s 7d to 2s 7£d, pearl, nominally, 2s 9d. There is but little inquiry foi old wheat, nominal quotations being 3d m advance of the above values. Oats : There is a good inquiry for all new descriptions, but farmers seem to have made up them mind not to offer at present rates; and, although a few ssmples have been shown, no large sales have been reported. The quality is exceptionally good, the grain being particularly heavy so far. Buyers are offering Is 3-d for short oats, and Is Id for duns and. Danish, but without any response from sellers. Oatsheaf Chaff: The last of the old season's stocks are ..low being delivered. Prices have firmed slightly, 42s 6d being now obtainable for prime heavy.

Timaru gram markets (Herald, 6th inst.): — Though the tone of the market is still very quiei, there is a decided air of expectancy as to the effect the new grain will have upon the market. No new wheat has jet come on the market locally, but we notice that at Oamaru a line has alieady been placed on the market, and has found a buyer at 3s. The opening price at Timaru is expected to be from 2s 9d to is for best lines. The yield, owing to the long spell of diy -weather, is not so heavy as expected, but in the majority of cases the mill ris expected to turn out a real good sample. Millers are not yet operating, staying their buying hand until the new grain is on the market. A fanly large quantity ot old wheat remains on hand, but this is expected to move off cfirectly the market becomes steady. In oats business is still very quiet. We were shown a rubbed out sample of Gartons yesterday, and it was a really good one — clean and well filled. The opening price for oats is expected to be about Is 4d. Not a great quantity of barley has been grown this season, and so [far the demand stall remams very poor. At the time of writing the weather shows signs of breaking, ancl there is no doubt that 24 hours of good soaking rain would do a world of good. It would not damage the grain, ■while the value to burnt up pastures would be almost incalculable.

The exports of grain and produce from Lyttelton fpi last week included the following

lines : — 4932 sacks wheat, 1145 sacks and 2534 bags flour, 3192 sacks oats, 200 sacks meal, 173 sacks malt, 747 sacks bran, 131 sacks sharps, 85 sacks pollard, 4381 sacks chaff, 25 sacks peas, 44 sacks potatoes, 32 sacks, 316 bags, and 24 gunnies onions, 1616 sacks seed, 221 bales hay, and 17 bales straw. The exports for the United Kingdom, included in the above, were. — 264 sacks wheat, and 570 sacks seed. For Australia were shipped 940 sacks opts, 10 sacks malt, and 297 sacks seed. Nine hundred and ninety-five sacks bran were shipped for Fiji. The balance of the exports wss for New Zealand ports.