THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3061, 13 November 1912, Page 18

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday Evening. Daily Times Office, Friday evening. The Home market has fluctuated somewhat during the past few weeks, in consequence of the war in the Balkans, but at die time of writing it is quiet in tone. The exports from Russia have eased off this week, but those from the Danubian provinces have increased, despite the war. Heavy shipments continue to go forward firom America, where it would appear that the crops are turning out above the first estimated average. a The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom and the Continent is 4,545,000 quarters, which figures show a decrease of 90,000 quarters as compared with the previou s week. Sydney wheat prices continue to hold their high range being quoted this week at 4s 7d to 4s Bd, as against 4s 6gcl to 4s 7£d last week. Melbourne quotations are given as 4s 4s>d to 4s 5d (last week, 4s 6id to 4s 7d), and Ade'aide at 4s to 4s Id, a drop of no less than about 3d per bushel as compared with the previous week. Millers have scoured a fair quantity of wheat during the past week, farmers in the Oamaru and Waimato districts offering their samples more freely, as a result of a deal of spring thrashing being got through. All good milling lines have met a ready demand, at about the following basis of prices:—Velvet, straight. 3s 7d to 3s 7£d; mixed lines, including Tuscan, Bordier, or red chaff, 3s 6id to 3s 7d, at sidings in the Wain.ate district. In the vicinity of Oamaru values rule from a id to Id per bushel dearer.

The tariff of the Flourmillers’ Association for flour and other lines is as follows: Flour —Sacks, £8 15s; 1001 b hags, £9; 501 b bags, £9 ss; 251 b bags. £9 10s. Bran, £4 15s per ton. Pollard, £6. Oatmeal, £l2 10s. Pearl barley, £lB 10s.

Business in tho oat market has been somewhat restricted during the week, due primarily to the lack of inquiry; and, secondly, to the fact that all grade oats are so scarce that the prices offered from outside are not sufficiently liigh to allow of merchants doing business at a fair margin, to profit. There is a little inquiry for Sydney, but at prices which do not tempt merchants, but the North Island is right off the local market. The Surrey will take a way about 8000 sacks for Home, and this shipping is practically responsible for the clearing out of all good lines locally. Offerings from the country are very light, the bad weather retarding spring thrashing. A Cartons are to-day worth about 2s, on trucks, in the Gore district. Merchants are prepared to do business at the following quotations:—A Cartons, 2s 5d to 2s sjd, f.0.b., s.i.; B Cartons, 2s 4d to 2s 4id; A sparrows, 2s 4d to 2s 4Ad; B sparrows, 2s 3d to 2s 3|d. PRODUCE REPORT. All good lines of chaff continue to meet a ready sale, but inferior lots, of which fcbere - al '° .plenty on the market, are rather difficult to quit. The potato market rules very firm, supplies having now got into small compass. Very few are coming in from tho country, while stocks in the local stores arc pretty well depleted. Prices should remain very firm until such time as the new crop is available in quantity. Supplies of dairy butter are increasing, and prices have eased a little since last week. -v Pigs continue in short supply, and all lots meet with a keen inquiry. Current prices are as follow: Chaff.—Prime heavy oaten sheaf, £3 5s to £3 10s; medium to-good, £2 5e to £2 17s 6d; inferior, £1 10s and upwards. Straw.—Oaten, to £1 15s; whoaten, to £1 10s. Hay.—£2 10s to £2 15s. Potatoes. —Prime freshly dug, £9 10s to £9 15s; medium to good, £8 10s. Onions.—Prime Californian. 15s per case. Eggs.—Fresh, lid; stamped, ll^d. Butter. —Dairy, 8d per lb; milled, lOd per ib; separator, in 11b pats. 9d. Pigs.—Baconers, s|d per lb; porkers, fid. Bacon. —Rolls (in quantities), 9id; boneless hams. Is; sides, 9|d; hams under 201 b 10id per lb FRUIT REPORT. Supplies of all descriptions of fruit are at present very short. A small consignment of Sydney fruit arrived on Monday last, and realised extremely high prices. Oranges ranged from 18s to 22s 3d per case, and lemons from 17s 3d to 18s; pine apples up to 13s fid for a somewhat poor sample. There have not been any arrivals of any other sorts of fruit,, with the exception of a few boxes of Canterbury hothouse tomatoes and cucumbers, and a small line of new potatoes from Auckland. A small lot of early strawberries came to hand from. Lowburn, apparently grown under glass. It is expected that, by the end of next week the first of the outside-grown strawberries will make their appearance from Alexandra. A representative of one of tho local firms was in Alexandra a few days ago, and he reports that tho strawberries were forming there, and in some instances commencing to turn colour. Reports from the Waimate district indicate that the strawberry crop there will bo late, on© grower writing that his fruit will not be ready for four or five weeks yet. A very small consignment of oranges will arrive from Sydney to-day (Saturday). High prices must rule for these, as a report from ‘Sydney under date November 2 gives the following current prices there for the various fruits named, free on board: Oranges, 18s per case; lemons. 13s to 14s; Italian lemons, 14s; cherries. 10s to 11s for 12lb lots; passions, 10s; pines, 13s. New kidney potatoes are quoted at 25s per cwt.. Close on 2000 eases of bananas are on their way here from Suva, and as the market is bare of all other fruits prices for the incoming lot are expected to run fairly high, probably about 15s to 16s per case. Some 500 cases of American apples are due to land on Monday, and these should meet with a strong market, as local supplies of apples are now very short. The market is very poorly supplied with vegetables, these being kept back by the cold wot weather. All good lines are realising high prices.

The following are the current prices: Lemons. —Market absolutely bare of supplies. Mildura and South Australian or Sydney are worth 20s. Oranges.—Rarotongan, market bare. Sydney bushels, 18s to 20s; gins, 19s to 22s 3d. Very short supply. Mandarins. —None offering. Passion fruit, 10s to 12s per box. Pines.—Queens, 16s 6d to 17s 6d; rough, 14s to 17s. Apples are becoming short. Canterbury Sturmcrs, 11s 6d to 12s 6d; cookers, French crabs, 10s to 11s; American. 15s 6d to 15s. Bananas. —Market bare. Ripe worth 20s to 23 s. Tomatoes. —Christchurch hothouse, Is 8d to 2s. Cucumbers, 8s to 12s per dozen. Short supply. Vegetables all in short supply. Cabbages, Is 3d to 2s 9d per dozen. 2s 6d to 6s per sack. Lettuce, Is 6d to 4s Id per case of two dozen. Cauliflowers, 5s 9d to 12s per sack for firsts; seconds, 2s 6d to 5s per sack; loose—small Is 6d to 4s, large 10s to 14s per dozen. Rhubarb. 9s to 12s per cwt. Table carrots. 8s to 10s 6d ;>er cental bag, scarce. Parsnips, Is 6d to 2s per bag. Turnips (very scarce), Is 3d to Is 9d per dozen. Celery, very short supply. Locks, 4d to 6d per bundle. Spinach, 8d to Is 4d per dozen. New Potatoes —Auckland, 21d to 3d per , lb; Peninsula. 4d to 4id. IMPORT MARKET. Delivery is expected about the 22nd inst. of rho new season’s sultanas, currants, and figs. , The new season’s Brazil nuts have now come to band, having been transhipped at Melbourne to the Moeraki. Backs are quoted at 7jd per lb, less £d. A new lino of plum puddings is landing ex the Karamea. A special agency line of a new brand of whisky—Green Stripe—is now being put on the New Zealand market. A small consignment of Bernard’s ginger wine, which lias been in short supply for some time, came to hand by the Surrey. The new season’s Malaga muscatels are expected to arrive by the Sydney bout today, having been transhipped from the French mail steamer Polyticsien. , The Moana, which arrived at Wellington this week from San Francisco, had on board a consignment of Californian dried fruit. So far as can be ascertained, however, the shipment is only a sma'l one. A parcel of Morton’s olives, recently landed, shows an increase in price, being quoted at 12s for half-pints and 21s for pints. Tartaric acid in 141 b tins, is costing more money, and is at present quoted at Is 5d per lb. Split lentils are worth from 21s 6d to ! 22s 6d per cwt, according to quantity. Prices for canary seed remain firm. Sup- 1 plies are very short; and nothing is yet known as to what quantity is aboard the s.s. Hanau, the first direct boat to arrive in Australia Advice from Sydney, under date Novom- ! ber 1, states that Eastern rico markets still remain firm, but that “ the jealousies between tho local millers make it difficult to forecast nco futures for Home trade.” Further advice from Sydney is as fol- I lows:—Tapiocas have cased considerably during the past month. Peppers arc atrifle easier, but nutmegs continue to ad- i vanco. Coffee is very short on spot. For- ' ward prices continue to advance. New sup- ! plies of Mocha .vro just to hand. Java is the only cheap coffee offering for Decern- ! ber arrival.