CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 22

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Christchurch grain ancl produce report (Lyttelton Times, 11th inst.) : — The fine weather has made farmers too busy with harvesting work to come to town yet the trend of tha market is shown m a considerable number of samples of wheat being sent to town agents for sale, the feeling that prices will be lower as supplies increase causing a desire to sell before this is realised. Reports from the country are very conflicting, but it may ba taken that, while there has undoubtedly been considerable injury to grain in stook and also to much of that which is still standing, the damage will not be so great or so general a3 the worst reports state. Sales have been mada at 3s lJd to 3s '2d for Hunters and Pearl, and 3s 2cH for Tuscan, at stations with !?.(! 1o 2Jd rates, but the aggregate business has not been large, and millers state that they will not now pay more than 3s Id at near stations for mixed lines. Nc old wheat is offering. There is an active demand for oats, but the difficulty of obtaining delivery of purchases is checking business. Prices ara very firm. Amongst sales reported are Canadians and Gartons at Is 8d at IJd .stations, duns at Is 7d for ordinary, and up to Is BJd for prime heavy, and Danish at Is 6Jd to Is 7d, all at country stations. The demand for inciting barley continues strong, but very little is availab.e. Thin discoloured samples constitute most of the supply, and find buyers at 3s 6d to 33 9d-, plump lines, more or lesa discoloured, at 4s to 4s 3d. Grass seeds are coming forwardl very sparingly, and reports from the p;oducing districts are that great; destruction has been caused by the bad! weather. The demand is not nearly satisfied, and good lines of either ryegrass or cocksfoo*' would oommand full quotations. Potatoes ara still in an uncertain position, and will remain so until the extent of the damage by; disease and its effect upon the export markefi are known.

Ashbnrton grain markets for the week endec? Friday last: — Wheat: Farmers are one and) all taking full advantage of the splendid harvest weather, and had it not been for tha week of rain the grain would now all be safely stacked. Farmers state that littla damage has been done. Millers are now inclined to buy up any samples of prime old grain, several of which have changed hands at — Tuscan and velvet 3s 4cii, Hunters 3s 2d& to 3s 3d. The nominal rates for new grain are 3d per bushel lower. Onts : Business haa practically been at a standstill . The market, after giving a slight spurt early in the week, relapsed to its old level, and remains quiet, with but little offering. Values are — Roseberys and Gartons Is 7d to Is 7Jd, duns la 7d. sparrowbills Is 6Jd to Is 7d, Danish Is 5d to Is 6d. Oatsheaf chaff is very scarce and difficult to obtain at 60s.

Timrru grain markets (HeTald, 11th inst) :\ Wheat : Old stock* are almost exhausted, and a few samples of new wheat have change*} hands, though the market can scarcely be said to have settled down yet to any definite prices. However, with the fine weather being experienced, it is anticipated tihat offerings will be more general in a few days. Opts:' Southland crops are now being harvested?, and will be on the market in the course of a. week ; this is having a tendency to weaken the market here. To-day's values are Is 6d to Is 7d for Gartons, Is 5d for Danish, Is 7d for cSuns, at country stations; sacks extra. Potatoes : There are inquiries for forward delivery for Derwents in prime condition, and sales can be made at £4 jser ton at country stations.

Tpmuka srrain markets (correspondent of the Christchurch Press): — LL t d to the present tima there is practically nothing doing in ne\v wheat, owing to weather preventing 1 any further threshing from, stook and the question, as to whether, if broken weather continuecF, there might not be a very considerable damage done to the new crop. So far there has beers scarcely any damage done to wheat in Soutbi Canterbury, the weather having cleared jusfe' in time. Stacking is now in full swing, and." the wheat should come out in good con-dlltion. Oats have been considerably discoloured, and in some cases show signs of growth, but nob seriously. Any barley not stacked is much? discoloured and damaged. There has been inquiry for both wheat and oats, but farmers.*" reserves are high. Business could b& donet at 3s to 3s 2d for wheat, and Is 5d to Is §cj for Danish, and Is 7d to Is 8d for Garton oatsr of good quality. Ryegrass and cocksfoot arei both selling fairly well, and are in demand^ The following are current prices paid to farmers: — Wheat (old): Tuscan 3s 4d, velvet 3s 2d to 3s 4d, Hunters 3s 2d to 3s 3d, new, 3s to 3s 2d, at country stations. Oats •! Canadians (heavy and bright) Is Bd, Gstrton* Is 6d to Is 7^d. Barley: No prime maJting; offering, discoloured 5s 9d to 3s. Hyegrass:' Light Is 6d to 2s, extra heavy old pasture; 2s 6d to 3a : cocksfoot, 3d to 4d. according to quality and weight ; oatsheaf chaff 2s 63 to £2 10s, according to colour and weight. Grain an 3 produce shipments: — The exporja of grain and prod*ace from Lyttelton for last

week included the following lines: — 1321 sacks •wheat, 364 sacks and 2059 bags flour, 1626 sacks oats, 187 sacks meal, 1907 sacks barley, 149 sacks malt, 114 sacks bran, 82 sacks •harps, 275 sacks pollard, 403 sacks chaff, 10 sacks peas, 196 sacks potatoes, 10 sacks, 35 bags, and 148 gunnies onions, 1727 sacks seed, ing. 51 bales hay. Of the foregoing 25 sacks oats, 10 sacks peas, 95 gunnies onions, and 796 sacks seed were for Australia. The remainder were for New Zealand ports.