THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 21

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. The Home wheat market continues inactive, and only one sale of an Australian cargo —at 36s 6d —has been recorded during the week. The quantity of wheat afloat for the United Kingdom anti Europe is 4,740,000 quarters, as against 5,018,000 quarters on July 13. The grand total shipped from all countries to Europe since the beginning of August is now 69,740,000 quarters, agsinst 56,960,000 quarters for the corresponding period of the 1911-12 season and 72.845,000 quarters for the corresponding period in 1910-11. The Melbourne market lias been rather firmer in tone (says the Australasian of July 19). Although prices arc above those ruling in Sydney, supplies continue to be offered sparingly. The firmness with which steamship owners are holding out for 30s per ton for parcel freights continues also to restrict business. The favourable prospects for the Victorian and New South Wales 1913-14 season has resulted in the forward chartering of several steamers for Australian loading for the United Kingdom or Continent on the basis of 51s 3d per ton. Wheat on spot is quoted at 3s Bci ox store, and parcels alongside at 3s 84d to 3s B|d, with business for delivery during the first week of August at the latter figure. The local wheat market still lacks animation, millers only operating when suitable lines are on offer and prices are suitable. A fair quantity of wheat has been offered during the> week, principally Tuscan, and a few hundred sacks of this sort have changed bands at 3s Bd, rail, Dunedin. It is difficult to get farmers to accept less than equivalent to 4s 2d, Dunedin, for velvet, but millers seem disinclined to give the money asked. Marshall's white and velvet-ear sorts arc worth 5s 9d, ex trucks hero. Good whole fowl wheat, 3s 4d to 3./ 5d per bushel, sacks extra. The tariff' of the Flourmillcrs’ Association for Hour and on other lines is as follows; Flour —Sacks, £9 5s per ton; 1001 b bags, £9 15s; 501 b bags, £lO : 251 b bags, £lO ss. Bran, £4 15s per ton. Pollard, £6. Oatmeal, £l3 10s, Pearl barley. £l6 10s. There is nothing new to report in the oat market. A little better inquiry perhaps has been evident the last few days from the North Island,' but prices remain unaltered. Northern merchants, though, are net anxious to buy any quantity. Country offerings continue very short, only small lots coming over line. A sale of 600 sacks of A Carton’s to a northern buyer is reported from Christchurch at 2s 6jd, f.0.b., s.i. Values to-day may be quoted at 2s 6d to 2s 6scl for A Cartons and 2s 5d to 2s 54d for B’s. Auckland reports under date July 21 state that A Gallons for September delivery are quoted there at 2s Ojcl, f.0.b., s.i., but that buyers’ limits arc 2s 6d. Arrivals in Auckland to July 21 totalled about 15,090 sacks. PRODUCE REPORT. Deliveries of chuff have eased off somewhat during (he week, but, as there are heavy stocks in store, prices remain unchanged. The demand is only for prime samples, medium and inferior quality being neglected. An agent’s report from Auckland stales that supplies of chaff there are still excessive', and that, as the h cal supply is in excess of requirements, the bulk of the arrivals has been stored. 'I he report continues Buyers hero are all interested in Melbourne (half, and they arc trying to arrange a bare market for its arrival, hence the reluctance, to give further orders for southern chaff. Large consignments of potatoes have come to hand during the week, and values showed a drop of 5s a ton. A lot of the tubers are arriving in bad order, and some of the lines are being rejected. First-class samples, in fact, are not too plentiful. It is reported that Timaru shippers are now quoting 70s, f.0.b., s.i.—a price with which local sellers cannot compete. Auckland advice, under date July 21, reads: —“The potato market is barely supplied, and all shipments last week were immediately absorbed on arrival. The Wanaka and Victoria arrived on Sunday, and the manifest shows a total shipment of 5000 sacks. The f.o.b. value to-day is 75s Lyttelton, and 72s 6d Oamaru, but it is difficult to secure orders, buyers being of the opinion that it is to their advantage to hold off the market.” Hay shows a decline in price of 10s per ton. Eggs are plentiful, but prices remain unchanged. Supplies of onions are more than equal to the demand, with a slow inquiry. Dairy butter is in short supply, and all first-class lots find a ready sale. Values show an advance. Figs continue in brisk demand. Current wholesale prices are as follow; Chaff. —Prime heavy oaten sheaf, £4 ss; medium to good, £3 to £3 15s; inferior, £2 and upwards (sacks extra). Straw.—Oaten, to £2 ss; wheaten, £2. Potatoes. —Prime table sorts, £4; medium, £3 per ton (bags in). Hay, £3; inferior, £2 and upwards. Onions. —Prime Canterbury, £3; Victorians, £9. Eggs. —Fresh, Is sd; stamped, Is 5d to Is 6d Butter. —Dairy, per lb; milled, lid per lb; separator, in lib pats, Is.

Pigs.—Baconors, 648 per lb; porkers, 6Jjd. Bacon.—Rolls (in quantities), 9?d; hams (under 201 b), Is per lb. FRUIT REPORT. Tho market generally’ is bare of supplies of all kinds of fruit. 'Tho large shipment of Rarotongan oranges and bananas which landed last Monday arrived in very failcondition, and was quickly bought up. Oranges as landed ranged from 8a to 9s 6d per case, and repacks are now fetching 10s 6d to 11s 6d. A small shipment of Now South Wales fruit came to hand on Monday, and owing to the report that there would bo no direct boat this coming Monday from Sydney-high prices were realised for mandarins, which are at present very short on the market. Lemons and apples are also scarce, and prices have risen Is and 2s per case for both those fruits. Practically no consignments of Nelson apples came forward this week,- and there wore only- a few small lots from the Taicri and Canterbury-. Vegetables are in full supply, especially cauliflowers, some largo lines of which were disposed of at auction this week. Prices, however, are well maintained. Tho following are the current wholesale prices ; Oranges.—Rarotongan, 10s 6d to 11s 6d for repacks; Poorman oranges, 10s 6d ; prices firm. Bananas. —Ripe, very short supply. Apples.—Canterbury cookers, 7s 6d to 3s 6d per 40!b case; extra choice desert— Otago Central, 3d to 3^d; very few coloured dessert offering. Hobart Scarlet Peannains, 12s 6d per case of 401 b; stunners, 10s. Tomatoes. —Hot house. Is per lb. Pears. —Very few offering. Canterbury choice, to 10s; medium, 6s to 8s per bushel case; Tasmanian. 6s to 7s 6d per box. Mandarin?.—From 13s to 17s per case; short supply. Lemons. —Mildura and Adelaide, 12s 5d to 14s; none offering. Passion fruit. 83 to 9s 6d per box. Pineapples. 9s 6d to 10s 6d. Honey.—New season’s, in 101 b tins, 4s per tin; bulk, 3jd to 4d; gib packets, 3s to 3s 3d per dozen ; bottles, 8s per dozen. Vegetables. —Plentiful. Cabbage, up to 5s 8d per dozen for large drumheads and Savoys; other sorts, 6d to Is 6d for dozen; sacks, 6d to 3s. Lettuce, 8d to Is per case. Cauliflowers, Is to 2s 3d per dozen for small; choice, 3s to 6s; extra large, 7s 6d ; sacks, 2s 6d to 5s 108. Table carrots, 6d per dozen bunches; from 2s 6d to 3s 6d per cental bag. Turnips, 4d to 6d per dozen bunches; swedes, 2s 3d to 2s 6d per sack, Is 3d" to Is 6d cental bag. Parsnips, 6d per dozen bunches, 2s 6d to 3s 6d per bag. Celery, 4d to 9d per bundle. Artichokes, Id per lb. Brussels sprouts, Is 6d to 2s per box of 6lb. Radishes, 6d to 9d per dozen. IMPORT MARKET. As already notified by telegraph tho Colonial Sugar Company has reduced the price of sugar by 10s per ton. The quotation, ex store, Dunedin, is now £lB per ton for half-ton lots and over and for less quantities £lB ss. Factory cheese has finned considerably in price during the last few days, and the market continues firm. The wholesale quotation is equal to 628 per lb not for new make. Clothes pegs are again showing an increased cost. Owing to a largo Canadian factory being burnt orders are being executed from America, and these have to bear tho extra preferential duly. Prices now rule at 5s to 5s 3d per box. Further shipments are expected to arrive in about six weeks’ time. A consignment, of Solaz/.i liquorice has come to hand by the Orari. This commodity has been in short supply for some time. Parcels of Bird’s custard and egg powders, Cross and Blackwell's lucca oil, and Price’s candles are also in the Orari. Cable advice has been received from San Francisco stating that there lias been a slight increase there in the price of prunes. Cable information from Calcutta states that tho preliminary forecast of the juto crop discloses an increase in the area of the crop of per cent, over that of last year. Tho cablegram also reports that continued wet weather has had a bad result on the crop and that the yield may possibly bu affected. Advice by letter says that although the area will bo larger the crop will be later. So far as November .shipments of corn sacks arc; concerned it is considered that the bulk of the crop will come to hand too late to affect the price of those shipments. As the November boat will bo the only opportunity of getting direct freight here it therefore looks as if merchants will have to pay the present high prices, or possibly higher.