THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 18

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday eveninor. Though only two sales of Australian wheat cargoes have been reported from. London during the week, the price keeps up, the quotations being given as 39s 4|d and 39s respectively. It will be seen, therefore, that though the Home market is not so active as it has been during the past few weeks, the money being paid for cargoes shows no downward tendency. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom, as cabled this week, is 4,375,000 quarters, or an increase of 195,000 since kist week, and that for the Continent 2,260.000 quarters, or an increase of 330,000 quarters. The total afloat for Eiirope thus shows an increase of 525.000 quarters. Total shipments of wheat and flour from all exporting countries to Europe this week were 1,575,000 quarters, against 1,175,000 for the previous week. A comparison of tho two last weeks is given, as follows:

The total shipped from all parts of the world to Europe since the beginning of lost August to tho end of April is nearly 37* million quarters, against 51,160,000 quarters for the corresponding period of the 1910-11 season, and 44.937,000 quarters for 1909-10. The American visible supply of wheat is 109,210,000 bushels. On April 5 the supply was 111,117,000 bushels. The Sydney market rules high at 3s lid to 4s, as against 3s lid to 3s Hid for the previous week. Adelaide is at 3s 9d to 3s 9 id (last week 3s lOd to 3s lid). The Sydmey Mail reports as follows under date April 3:—"The past week has been marked by extreme activity in selling Australian cargoes and parcels on the English and Continental markets. Altogether a million and a-half bushels changed hands, prices under the pressure of buyers firming throughout the progress of the sales. Wheat oft British coast brought the highest price, 39s 6d per quarter beuiig paid, which is easily the record for the last 18 months, but even for shipments to load as much as 33s was paid. The rush was due to a notable falling off in the Argentine shipments, 350,000 quarters, as against an estimated requirement of 500,000 quarters per week. Prices now on the local market are a halfpenny a bushel better than a week ago, snippers bu.ying farmers' lots at tho rate of 3s lOd per bushel ex trucks Sydney, equal to a country price on trucks of 3s'sld. Parcels have changed hands up to 3s lid, and millers would go up to 3s Hid for best milling samples. Sellers have hardened in their ideas, and will not in the majority of instances offer parcels for less than 4s. Wheat has been sold at the railway auctions at this price, but it is hardly a true guide to the market, because if 30 or 40 trucks were sent down tho market would at once slump. Only the suburban retail produce dealers operate at tho auctions, and their requirements are filled by comparatively few truckloads. The final estimate of the Victorian harvest is for a yield of 20,800,000 bushels, which is 5,700,000 below the pre-harvest estimate. With consumption and seed requirements at 9,000,000 bushels, Victoria's exportable surplus is reckoned at 11,500,000 bushels, of which 6,500,000 bushels have already been shipped. Of the remaining 5,000,000 some will go to Queensland. The great falling off in tlio Victorian yield has created some anxiety as to our own yield, the estimate for which was 23,000,000 bushels, and the revised estimate is eagerly awaited. One striking feature of this season's wheat is that although there was said to.be a great amount of 6ccond-elass grain the millers, who do a big export business in flour with tho East where the flour wanted is not a strong one, are finding a difficulty in obtaining the second-class wheat. I'irst-class wheat makes tho price more than tlio East is willing to pay." According to the Australasian of April 3 the Melbourne wheat market has shown strength, owing to the continued limited quantities available, and has risen alwve the parity of London without bringing out sellers. Slightly lower parcel freights also enoourag<<l buyers in the other States. For a small line in siding store 3s lid has been paid, and for good-sized parcels buyers offered 3s Hid to 4s alongside, but large enough quantities to test the position have not been available. Tho local wheat market continues very firm and steady A fair number of sales have taken place since the holidays, principally of northern grown wheat. Prices for mixed lines range from 3s 6id to 3s 7d, and 3s 7i<l on trucks, country sidings, according to the condition of the grain and the railage. A fair quantity of wheat has been offering from the south, but in tho majority of cases the quality has been too soft for milling purposes. Good conditioned lots of mixed lines from this locality are worth from 3s Ed to 3s 9d delivered ex truck in Dunedin. The tariff of the Flourmillers' Association for flour and other lines is as follows: Flour: Sacks, £3 15s; 1001 b bags, £9; 501 b bags, £9 ss; 251 b bags. £9 10s. Bran, £4 15s per ton. Pollard, £6. Oatmeal, £l3 10s; pearl barley. £lB 10s. Tho market remains practically unchanged for white oats. A Gartons are quoted at 2s 4d, f.0.b.5.i., and B. Gartons at 2s 3d to 2s 3id. There has been a fair demand from Australia for forward shipment, but merchants then.' will not pay the values asked by New Zealand sellers, offering id to Id less, Consequently (ho volume of business passing for Australia is being curtailed. There is oractieallv no inquiry from the North Island, only small lots being disposed of for that quarter. Southland oats (are commencing to be freely offered, but local merchants are not very keen to do business, having r,o con-

fidence in stocking up at present vahres asked by farmers. As a matter of fact, tho prices at present being quoted by farmers leave no margin of profit for sellers, and as a result business is practically at a standstill in the meantime. It should be pointed out that this year Canterbury has grown a lot of oats, but that last year her oat crop was very small indeed. This fact notwithstanding, and despite also that tho oat crop shows a big increase this year in Otago, farmers are standing out "this year for tho opening- prices of last year—viz., about Is lid in country sidings. "However, tho position should right itself in a week or two when Southland oats begin to come on tho market in greater volume. Algerians aro worth about 2s ll|d to 3s lcJ , f-°- D - s -i-> according to sample. ( The Australasian of April 3 says:— " The demand in oats is mainly for seed descriptions, and little city trade is being done at present, owing to the absence of supplies. For good to prime Algerian milling 3s 3d to 3s 4j,d is quoted, and seed lots range from 3s 6d to 3s 9d. Feed descriptions aro worth from 3s to 3s ?d. Business has been do.no in stout -white oats on spot at 3s 4d. New Zealand B grade Gartons have had fair business at 2s 3£d free on board New Zealand. Last week export of oats from Melbourno included 200 bags to Colombo and 406 bags to South Africa. The Victorian oat crop has turned out to bo one of the shortest for many years, whilo tho average offtake per acre is, excepting 1907-8, also the poorest for the past eight years. A comparison with the last few seasons is as follows:—

Consignments of new chaff are increasing daily, but with a fair local demand any; prime samples are being quitted on arrival. A good demand also exists for old chaff. Values, however, have cased, both for old and now chaif. Consignments of potatoes this week have not been quite up to the demand, and prices are firm. Farmers in the south are busy with the harvest, and have not time to dig their tubers just now. Auckland merchants are inquiring freely, but at present local merchants are unaible to compete against Oamaru and Timaru shippers. Several sales have taken place during the week at from £4 to £4 ss, ex truck, Dunedin—which is a big advance on the prices ruling here a few months back. The high values for eggs have restricted tlio demand somewhat, and prices havo eased slightly. Current prices are as follow: Chaif.—Prime heavy oaten sheaf. £3 15s to £4 2s 6d; medium to good, £2 10s to £3 15s; inferior, 30s and upwards; new chaff, £? 5s to £3 10s.' Straw.—Oaten. £2 2s 6d to £2 ss; wheaten, £1 15s to £1 17s 6d. Hay.—£3 10s per ton. Potatoes. —Prime Oamaru, freshly dug, £4 to £4 5s per ton; medium to good, £3 to £3 10s (baes in). Onions.—Canterbury, £8 per ton. Eggs.—Fresh, Is 7d per dozen; stamped, Is Bd. Putter.—Dairy, lid per lb; milled, lid per lb; separator, in lib pats, lljrd. Pigs.—Raooners. 6d per lb; porkers 6d. Paeon. —Rolls (in quantities), lid; boneless hams, Is; sides, 9*d; ham under 201 b, is per lb. FRUIT REPORT. Prime fruit is readily saleable at fair prices, but the market has been oveijsupplibd with poor quality—especially apples and pears, which letter fruit has brought. very low prices. Further large quantities of quinces havo arrived from Gisborne. A lot of the fruit, however, was in a bruised condition, and hard to quit. Best brought about 2s 6d to 3s per case of about 501 b. The market is more plentifully supplied with tomatoes, chiefly outside grown, which bring from to 2d per lib. Largo quantities of peaches have como to hand. Most of them, however, are not of Rood colour and of poor flavour. Great difficulty has been experienced in disposing of consignments. Pears aro wry plentiful, and hard to quit, several of the parcels being of inferior quality. Really first-class dessert sitfnplea are worth from 2d and 2J,d. Cooking pears, lid to ljd per lb. Poor kinds only realise from Is 6d to 2s per case. A shipment of 765 cases of oranges a>rrived from the Islands yesterday. The fruit came to hand in splendid order, and sold at from 10s to 12s 6d per case; a few cases out of condition bringing as low as cJs per case. A small lot of 25 cases of bananas also came forward by the same steamer. These were in poor order, and brought from 5s to lis per case. The following aro the current prices:— Plums.—Jam sorts. Id to ljd; dessorti, 2d; extra choice, 3d to in short supply. lemons.—ltalian, 37s 6d per case, market bare. Apples. —Good supplies coming forward, and realising: Prime cookers, 3s 6d to 4s 6d per case; dessert, 5s to 6s; Christchurch Cox's Grange Pippin and Ribston, to 3d per lb, or equal to 7s 6d to 10s per case. Locally grown, per lb. Tomatoes. —In good supply. Nelson, 3s per case; Christchurch—hothouse, 3d; outside, lid to 2d; local, 5d to 6d. Nectarines, 2d to 2j,d per lb, wanted. Grapes. —Adelaide. 4d to 5d per lb; local hothouse, 7£d to lOd. Apricots.—Finished. Peaches.—Half cases, to 2d; choice, in trays, from to 3d; extra, 4d; small jam, ljd. Pears.—Supplies more plentiful. Bon Chretiens, Is 6d to 3s per case; choice sorts, 2d to 2JUI per lb; cookers, ljd to Ud. Cucumbers. —Local, 3s 6d to 5s per dozen. Green peas.—Short supply. Choice, lid to 2d per lb. Vegetables aro more plentiful. Cabbages, Is to Is 6d per dozen; sacks, 2s to 3s 6d. Lettuce, Is to Is 6d per ease of two dozen. Cauliflowers, 2s to 4s per sack, Is 6d to 63 per dozen. IMPORT MARKET. A New Zealand firm is advising mer-

chants doing business with it as follows: " We have received from our California?! principals, copy of letter from the genera: agents in San Francisco for the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, reading as under: — ' Owing to the New Zealand and Australian coastal steamship companies having increased their local freight rates, we have received instructions from the Union Steamship Company of Isevr Zealand to increase our arbitranes, as toilows: New Zealand arbitraries 25 per cents per ton. This arbitrary becomes effective from February 29.' This increased differential freight will apply to all ports outside of Wellington and Auckland. We will continue, as in the past, to quote you prices based on c-i.f.e., Wellington or Auckland, but for shipments to outside ports you will take the above information into account and reckon on it as additoinal to tho present differential freight." , A fine sample of Thomson's unbleached 6eedless raisins is at present on tho market, and is selling at about b J 4 d to s£d per lb, according to quality. Owing to tne present scarcity of sultanas, these seedless raisins are being more inquired for. A parcel of Thomson's bleached seedless raisins also came to hand during the week. These are quoted at 6d per lb. Merchants are finding it difficult to procure good cheese at anything but very high prices Values are 7id per lb net for mediums and 8d per lb for loaf. The quotation for Neave's Food is 9s 6d a dozen, which represents a small advance of 3d per dozen. Keillor's marmalade is coming in at a higher cost and to-day prices are 14s per dozen for 21b tins, and 8s for lib tins. Some descriptions of salt have been advanced in price owing to the increased freights, but the local selling quotations have not so far been affected". Hardware lines at Home are showing large increases in price. White lead has advanced £2 per ton. the ruling value being from £33 to £35 per ton, according to quantity. Roofing iron has gone up 10s a ton, and is now quoted at £l9 10s to £2O 10s. Wire netting for rabbits has advanced 2£ per cent, the local price being £2O and £2O 10s per mile; according to quantity. So far as netting is concerned, it is considered that values will shortly have to be further advanced in sympathy with present Home prices. Owing to the increased freights for Home shipment imported cement is now quoted at 13s to 13s 6d per cask, being an advance of 6d.

April 1. April 7 Qrs. Qrs. Argentine 354.000 414,000 Russia . 135.000 150,000 Damibian Provinces ... 193, COO 320.000 India-)-47.000 89.000 Australasia 125,000 210,000 North America*— Atlantic ports . 195.000 273,000 Pacific ports 20,000 — Other . 106,000 119,000 Totals 1,175,000 1,575,000 + Including Persia * Wheat only.

Area. Yield. Average. Acres. Bushels. Bushels. 1904-5 ... 344,019 6.203.429 18.03 1905-6 „ 312,052 7,232,425 23.18 1906-7 ... 380,493 8,845,654 23.25 . 1007-8 ... 398.749 5,201,408 13.04 1908-9 ... 419,869 11,124,940 26.50 1909-10 ... 384,226 7,913.423 20.60 1910-11 ... 392,681 9,699.127 24.70 1911-12 ... 302,238 4,555.326 15.17 PRODUCE REPORT.