THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3040, 19 June 1912, Page 21

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. ' The moat important item of wheat new* to record during-, the week so far as local conditions are concerned is that wliich cor*veyed the breaking of the drought in Australia, and though in a number of instance* the rain will have come too late to sav» the young orops, its timely appearance lias without doubt saved the great bulk of Cha* farming community from ruin. So far a« Sydney is 'concerned the _ rain has had an immediate effect on prices, which hay* fallen. The previous quotation was 4s 3d to 4s 4d, while now the price is 4s Oid to 4s 2£d. In Melbourne prices have not been affected so much, values last week rulingat 4s 2id to 4s 3d and this week at 4a 2£d- Adelaide quotation* remain unchanged at 3s lid to 4s. , During the week an Australian cargo has been disposed of in London at 40s, three others at 39s 9d, and six at 39s 7i<r to 40s od. Cable advice received to-day indicates that France is short of wheat, and it is therefore probable that the** cargoes have been secured on behalf of French buyers. The French Government, 1 however, despite tiie shortage there, has now definitely decided not to take off the duty on wheat. Writing under date May 3, Beerbohm states that the French Government haa decided not to reduce the duty on foreign wheat, as, acoording to the information received from the officials, there is sufficient native wheat in the country. Meanwhile supplies from, farmers only show a slight increase, and it is still thought that France will take a fair amount of foreign wheat between now and the end of the season.

but the quantity will depend very much on whether the next harvest k an early e _or late one. j s£ It will be seen by the tabular statement | ' printed below tliat the world's visible supply on May 1 wo* iho largest for many years "pest; tne European total is smaller

than last year, although, with this exoep- j tion, the largest since 1895. The North American total, thanks to the Canadian quantity, is a very large one. Compared with April 1 there has been a decrease of poly 265,000 quarters, against a decrease last year of 3,045.000 quarters. The average price of English wheat, 37s lOd, was higher thah in any previous year since 1895, with the exception of 1909, when it was 42s sd, and in 1898, when it was 38s 4<L The figures read (000 omitted): I

The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom and the Continent is 7,050,000 quarters, which fig-urea show a decrease of 365,000 quarters as compared with the previous year. The shipments to Europe totalled 1,635,000 quarters, being an increase of 360,000 quarters as compared with the previous week. The total shipped to Europe from all parts of the world since August 1, 1911, to June 8, 1912, is now 49,390,000 quarters, against 64,825,000 quarters for the corresponding period of the 1910-11 season, and 55,895,000 quarters for the corresponding period in 1909-10. Says the Australasian of June 8: VSTieat: The local market is inactive, with little demand at present, and the chief feature has been the attempt on the part of resellers to dispose of parcels. Business is restricted, and the market may be quoted at 4s 2d to 4s 2id for prompt, and about 4s 3jd for forward, delivery. The local wheat market has been very dull during the week, but there was slight evidence of an improvement to-day, there being a little better inquiry. The stocks of one or two of the millers are nearly depleted, and they must necessarily be shortly forced on the market ,'igain. There

have not been many sales recorded during the week. A sale of red wheat is reported on ttrucks in the vicinity of Oamaru at 3s 8d net. The current market quotations may be given as 3s 8d to 3s 9d for mixed lines of velvet, red chaff, and Tuscan in the vicinity of the Oamaru and Wa.imate districts. A good many farmers, however, are declining to offer their wheat at these quotations, being evidently of the opinion that good wheat will see higher prices in the spring. Fowl wheat, 3s 6d to 3s 7d for best, ex store, sacks extra. The tariff of the Flourmillers' Association for flour and other lines is as follows: Flotir: Sacks, £8 15s; lOGlb 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. The oat market is very quiet, the recent welcome rains in Australia haying resticted operations by buyers there —-in fact, it is reported that/in one or two intanoes Australian merchants have offered to resell their June forward orders. Prices are a bit easier, merchants now being prepared to do business at 2s 5d for A Gartons, and 2s 4id for B's, f.0.b., s.i. Oats in the Gore district are worth about 2s to 2s o£d for A Gartons, country sidings, and Is Hid for B's. The North Island demand for prompt delivery continue s very slack, but there is a little inquiry for forward shipment, as stocks there are now getting into small compass. Large quantities are being sent to Australia to fulfil June commitments, the Maitai and the Whangape taking heavy shipments from Oamaro, Tima.ru. and the Bluff. The total number of sacks of wheat which had arrived at Melbourne up to June 8 amounted to 133,926, as against 1082 for the corresponding period last year. These figures should bo largely added to by the export of oats from here to the Dominion, which are taking place this month. A large quantity of oats has also been sent to Sydney.

TheAustralusian reports, cnder date June 8: —"-The market has been dull, supplies of New Zealand oat«; not meeting with the inquiry anticipated. The town consumption has fallen away considerably with the high prices, though stock-feedings orders from the country have taken up a moderate quantity. New Zealand'A Gartons are quoted at os sd, duty paid, ex wharf; while B Gartons are valued at 3s 4d. Algerian feed oats have been sold at from 3s 5d to 3s 7d. according to quality, with seed at from 3s 8d for fair quality to* 4s for choice small lots."

PRODUCE REPORT. A fair quantity of chaff continues to come to hand, but there is not much of prime quality in the consignments. There ie a good local demand, while a few lots are finding their way to the northern coastal ports. The broken weather has interfered with the digging of potatoes, and the deliveries as a consequence have eased slightly. The demand for prime lots i 3 a shajje better, but prices remain unchanged. Some of the potatoes which are coming to hand have not bsen well graded, and are also frosted. A considerable quantity of potatoes are being sent to Sydney, 1121 bags being taiken by the Ulimaroa, which sailed on Wednesday, for that port. The tubers are not experiencing anything like the difficulty which formerly prevailed in being passed by the Sydney Government grading official*. The demand for onions ie ra-ther quiet, and values have receded to the extent of 10s to £1 per ton. There ha s not been such a keen inquiry this week for eggs, and prices have suffered a drop of about 4d a dozen. The dairy butter market has an easier tendency owing to increased supplies. Quotations for dairy now rule at Id lower than those ruling last week. Both wheaten and oaten straw is coming to hand in greater supply, and values have eased. Current prices are as follow:

Chaff. —Prime heavy oaten sheaf. £3 10s to £3 12s 6d; medium to good. £2 15s to £3j inferior, £l 10s and upwards. Straw.—Oaten, £1 15s; wheaten, £1 7s 6cT fo £1 10a.

Hay, £3 10s per ton. Potatoes.—Prime freshly dug, £4 15e fo £5 per ton, medium to good, £4 to £4 10s (bags in); inferior, £2 10s and upwards. Onions. —Canterbury, £9 par ton. Eggs.—Fresh, Is 7d per dozen; * tamped, Is 8d; preserved, Is 2d to Is 3d. Butter. —Dairy, lOd per lb; milled, lid per lb; separator, in lib pats, lid to llld. Pigs.—Baeonors, s£d per lb; porkers, s£d. Bacon.—Rolls (in quantities), lid; boneless hams. Is; sides, 9id; hams under 201 b, 10id ptr lb. FRUIT REPORT. Fair consignments of Tahiti oranges have come to hand during the week. The market is now fully supplied, but the demand is a little better than last week. Consignments of good cooking apples are now arriving, but very few high grade eating sorts are on the market. Nicely-coloured varieties are* bringing high rates. Cookers are realising up to 2d per lb. There are still heavy supplies of inferior pears on the market, ana these are very hard to quit. The follow inor ore the current prices:— lemons. —Mildura and South Australian, 13s to 15s per case. Oranges.—Rarotongan (market fully stocked), 5s to 5s 6d per 9in case. Apples.—Better supplies are coming forward, and realising: Prime cookers, 4s to 5s 6d per case, equal to ljd for best; Lord Wolseley. 5s 6d to 7s; Yorkshire Greenings, 2d; Christchurch A.P.M. Cornish Aromatic, 5s od to 8s 6d; locally-grown dessert, lid to 2id per lb; small fruit, Id; windfalls, 5s to 6s per cwt. Tomatoes aro now nearly finished, a few local hothouse offering at 8d to 9id per lb. Grapes. —Local hothouse, 8d to Is 3d; small and inferior, sid to 7d (very few offering). Passion fruit, 5s 6d to 6s 6d per box. Pines, 8s 6d to 10s per case. Pears.—Small supplies of choioe coming forward. Beurre Diehl, lid to 2d; Napoleons, Id to lid; Winter Nelis, 2id to 3id; other sorts, 3s to 5s per case; inferior quality almost unsaleable. Bananas. —Ripe, 2id to 2id per lb. Cabbages, 6d to Is 3d per dozen; extra large Drumheads, 2s 6d to 3s per dozen; sacks, Is 6d to 3s 9d. Lettuce, 9d to Is 6d per case of two dozen; large, Is to Is 3d per dozen. Cauliflowers, 4s to 7s per sack; Is 6d to 2s per dozen. Vegetable marrows.—Wanted. Pie Melons. —Market bare. Pumpkins, 6s to 7a per sack. IMPORT MARKET. Cable advice has been received during the week stating that the price of cream of tartar shows an increase of from £6 to £8 per ton. Owing to the continually increasing cost of the raw article local coffee manufac-

turers have been forced to advance their prices. It is said that this is the first local rise that has taken place in this commodity for the past 10 years. Sydney advice states that a strong market continues there, with very little coffee offering from spot stocks. Canary seed is scarce, and the quotations received for tho new season's crop, due about December, show an increase on last year's values. Local stocks are quoted at 22s 6d for hundredweight lots; small parcels, 2id per lb. Sydney advice of June 1 states that the stocks of old seed available in Turkey for shipment up till the new crop comes in in September-October are not plentiful. The special agent's line of boot polish " Hunkydory," which has been in 6hoxt compass, -is again in full supply. Bluestone shows an advance in cost. It is now quoted at 31s per cwt The latest prioe list shows an increase of, approximately, id per lb on Price's candles. The market is very short of supplies of bulk hcciey. , Supplies of haricot beans are very scarce, but a shipment la duo from Rangoon in about a week's time. Prioes for handpicked are 16s per cwt; ordinary, 15s. Local quotations for cheese are as follow:—Medium, 7-|d to 7£d per lb; targe, 7 4 k1; loaf, 73d. Tlie local butter market is slightly easier. Dark brown Mauritius sugar is c.t present unprocurable in the local market. A shipment is due to arrive about the first week in July. Phoenix raspberry and black currant jams have both been advanced in price. Cable advice from Colombo under date June 6 states that " Common kinds of tea generally are firm, but prices for common tannings are in buyers' favour. The market for all good liquoring sorts is strong, with an upward tendency " Sydney advice under elate June 1 states that chillies are cheaper than they have been for years, owing to there being a largo quantity in stock in the East, with dealers unable to get offers. Carraways: Holland reports a complete failure in the crops, and the European market has advanced £lO per ton. Ginger—Japan: This market is easier; Jamaica and Cochin varieties, however, ara higher. A further advance is to be recorcVd in the price of standard iion. The ruling 1 rates are from £lO 10s to £ll per ton, according to quantity. Roofing iron ia quoted at £2O to £2O 10s. White lead has gone up in value 10s per ton. Prices now rule at £34 10s to £36 10s per ton, quantity.

111111 W 8 § 1 CO 1 w 1 'It 12 c s PC aP Qrs. Qr*. Qrs. E. d. 1913 ... ... 10.9G0 12,665 23,525 37/10 1911 ... ... 12,060 6,600 18,650 30/11 1810 ... ... 10,160 5,938 16,045 83/ieod ... ... 7,875 6,350 14,225 42/5 1908 ... 1907 ... ... 0,485 6,035 14,620 31/6 ... 9,480 10,4tK) 19,880 27/1908 ... ... 9,375 7,850 16,725 29/6 1905 ... ... 10,090 6,250 15,340 SO/9 , 1904 ... A. 9,780 6,925 15.705 27/8 1903 ... 6,830 7,035 13,865 26/10 1902 ... ... 8.570 7,300 15,870 29/1901 ... ... 9,075 8,175 17,250 26/8 1900 ... S.rWO 9.710 18,100 26/1809 ... ... 7,.WO 6,375 13,876 25/-