CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 22

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Christchurch grain and produce reports (Lyttelton Times, Ist inst.) • — Wheat is offering freely, but there is little improvement in its condition, and only well-saved lines are changing hands. Merhcantable parcels are firmly held, and as millers are reluctant to buy at present prices, the business passing is small. The appended quotations are for lines of fair to good quality and condition ; it is reported that higher prices have been paid for prime Tuscan alone. Oats and barley are selling in small quantities &t firm prices. Cocksfoot seed is coming forward in reduced quantities, and, tor the most part, of inferior quality. A2iy lots of fair quality and colour are firm at the reduced values of last week. Oatsheaf chaff is difficult to obtain, andi for prompt delivery 52s 6d is being paid at country stations. Potatoes are weaker, at £4 10s to £4 15s per ton. at near stations. The quality generally is from indifferent to bad. Fresh eggs have advanced to Is 3d per dozen. Ashburton grain markets, for the week ended Friday last : — Wheat : Local millers, having filled' the greater portion of their immediate requirements, have eased off, and prices have therefore dropped about Id per bushel, having come down to f.o.b. rates. Competition among buyers is less keen, and sales are, therefore, difficult to make. Quotations for new grain are as follows : Tuscan, 3s 2d ; pearl, 3s ; Hunter's, 3s. Oats: The market continues ] with fair demand. Keally good G-artons sell readily at full rates, but lighter sorts and Danish are difficult to sell. Prime duns con- , tirme in good demand. To-day's values are : j Gartons. Is 7d ; sparrowbills andi Roseberrys, Is 6hd; duns. Is 7d; Banish. Is 5d to Is s£d. j Timaru grain markets (Christchurdli Press correspondent) : — The wheat market is now very dull, buyers not caring to operate, owing, it is said, to the fact that wheat is being rushed on to the market in soft condition and in an , unfit state for milling purposes. Prime lines 1 of mixed Tuscan, Tedchaff, and velvet are quoted' nominally at 3s. It is doubtful whether this price could be obtained to-day, though earlier iv the week 3s 3d was offering. There *ie inquiries for malting barley, but there is none on offer. In. cats tKe market is also dull, and j very little is changing hands. Duns are quoted at Is Bd, Gartons Is 7|d. and Danish. Is 6Jd j per bushel. Cocksfoot seed can be disposed 'of at 3|d to 32d per Ib. There are inquiries , for sound Derwent potatoes at £5 per ton, but growers will not give a guarantee of soundness, and consequently no business is being done. ! Flour is stilT selling at £9 10s, oatmeal at £9 10s, pollard £5, and bran at £3, per ton in each instance. Grain and Produce Shipments. — The exports of grain and produce from Lyttelton for last week included the following lines: — 3933 sacks wheat, 286 sacks and 879 bags flour, 1760 sacks oats, 120 sacks meal, 390 sacks barley, 231 sacks malt. 30 sacks bran, 5 sacks sharps, 85 sacks I pollard, 5146 sacks chaff, 552 sacks peas. 547 I sacks and 93 bags potatoes, 44 sacks. 9 bags, and 737 gunnies onions, 949 sacks seedl, and 87 bales hay. Of. the foregoing, 512 sacks peas were for the United. Kingdom, 20 sacks oats. 471 sacks seed, and 9 bags and 554 gunnies onions for Australia. The remainder was for New Zealand ports.