THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRO-DUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 21

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PROD UCE MARKETS.

Frida? evening. The London wheat market continues quiet. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom and the Continent is 4,475,000 quarters, as against 4,220,000 quarters for the previous week. Sydney wheat is now quoted at 3s 7d to 3s 7ad (last week 3s 7i<l'to 3s 7id); Melbourne. 3t? Bid (unchanged); Adelaide, 3s 8d to 3.s Bid (unchanged). The local wheat market may bo described as firm, but quiet. The business passing between millers and farmers is very meagre, an odd lot of Tuscan changing' hands at 3s Bd, ex rail here, while good velvet ear brings up to 3s 9d. There is no velvet offering locally. Millers have to dratv supplies of this variety from the Oarnaru and Waimate districts, and have been forced to give as high as 4s at sidings for it. Good whole fowd wheat is worth 3s 4d to 3s 5d per bushel, sacks extra. The tariff of the Flourmillers’ Association for flour and other lines is as follows: —Flour: Sacks, 59 5s per ton; 1001 b bags, £9 15s; 501 h bags, £10; 251 b bags, £lO ss. Bran, £4 5s per ton. Pollard, £6. Oatmeal, £l3. Pearl barley, £l6 10s. There is practically no change to report in the local oat market, which continues in a very dull state. Notwithstanding the reduction in the Home freights to 25s a ton, it i« impossible on the ruling prices hero to ship at a profit. Should, however, a further reduction take place business may be done in this quarter, on consignment. London parity to-day is equal to about 2s 4d, f.0.b.. a.i., hero for A Cartons. A few small .lota of A Gartons have been shipped to Melbourne at 2s 6jd, f.0.b., s.i., probablv for transhinment The demand

from the North' Island continues quiet, merchants there evidently being quite prepared to mark time. The latest returns from Southland show that since the beginning of the season 346,500 sacks of oats have been carried over the railway lines, as against 700.000 sacks last season. 'The local quotation is 2s 6d, f.0.b., s.i., for A Gartons and 2s 5d to 2s sid for B’s.

Advice from Auckland under date August 18 reads as follows:—“During the early part of the period under review buyers were inclined to operate, but after buying a few parcels they withdrew from' the market, and at the time of writing sales are impossible, except at lower rates. For prompt shipment A Gartons are quoted at 2s 5d and B Gartons at 2s 4d. For AugustSeptember, 2s 6d is asked for A Gartons, B Gartons at 2s 4d and 2s 4jd, f.0.b., s.i. For September-October the quotations for A Gartons are 2s 6d and 2s f.o.b., s.i. Arrivals from August I to date show a decrease, only 7500 sacks coming to hand, so that store stocks are now being drawn on.” PRODUCE REPORT. Consignments of chaff are equal to the demand, which is not too brisk at present. Inferior and medium does not meet with much favour, the inquiry being principally confined to prime lots. Heavy consignments of potatoes continue to come to hand. As stated by us this week, several hundred sacks have been sent to Sydney on consignment, but this export has not had any strengthening effect on the market. The outlook for an advance in values does not seem very promising at present. An Auckland broker writes as follows under date August 18 Arrivals from August 1 to date total 29,000 sacks, and in consequence the market is glutted. Consignments are only worth 65s c.i.f., equivalent to 47s 6d f.0.b., s.i., and the present indications point to still lower prices in the near future, Christchurch quotations are ns low as 52s 6d, but buyers are confining their buying to consignments at the cheaper rate.” The following paragraph from the Melbourne Argus, under date August 15, should prove of interest, as showing the trend of the potato market there, and also giving an indication of the effect the prices must have on the Sydney market:—“Values for Snowflakes receded about 5s per ton yesterday, owing to continued heavy arrivals and the difficulty in finding buyers. The shunt yesterday consisted of about 54 truckloads. Good to prime red-soil Snowflakes arc quoted at £2 5s to £2 10s, an odd special truckload fetching up to £3. with grey and dark soils at about £2. Excelsiors are in moderate supply, and are rather slow of sale at from £3 5s to £3 10s.” The egg market is in a weak state under the influence of heavy supplies, and prices have suffered a drop. A fairly large shipment of Japanesegrown onions is expected to land here next week. They will not arrive to a very brisk market, owing to the quantity of Victorian and Canterbury grown on hand. he dairy butter market continues firm, with a good inquiry for all consignments. Pigs are in keen demand. Current wholesale prices are as follow; Chaff.—Prime heavy oaten sheaf, £4 to £4 ss; medium to good. £3 to £3 15s; inferior, £2 and upwards (sacks extra). Straw.—Oaten, to £2 5s ; wheuten, £2. Potatoes.—Prime table sorts, £3 to £5 7s fid; medium to good, £2 5« to £2 15s per ton (bags in). Hay. £5; inferior, £2 and upwards. Onions.—Prime Canterbury, to £3 ; Victorians, £9. Eggs.—Fresh, lid to Is; stamped, Is to Is Id. Butter—Dairy, lid per lb; milled. Hid per lb; separator, in lib pats, Is. Pigs.—Baconers, fid per lb; porkers, fiJJ. Bacon.—Rolls (in quantities), fOd ; sides 9id : hams (under 201 b), Is per Hi. FRUIT REPORT The market has boon fairly well supplied with citrus fruits during the week shipments landing from Rarotonga, Adelaide, and Mildura. There were about 1000 cases in the cargo from Rarotonga, principally oranges, these realising from 14s up to 17s 3d per case. The bananas which arrived in the same boat brought from 13s i to 16s. The Waipori, which arrived from Mel- ' bourne on Thursday, brought a very nice 1 sample of South Australian-grown 'Navel oranges, and also a shipment of lemons. ' The oranges brought 16s to 18s per case under the hammer, and the lemons from 15s to 17s. The oranges from Mildura realised 16s per case. • A small line of Tasmanian-grown pears was landed on Thursday, realising from 5s fid to 6s per half bushel for Vicars and up to 8s fid for Josephines. A few lots of Lord Wolseley apples have arrived from Christchurch during the week, and arc selling at auction at 10s per bushel case. Nelson apples are bringing 9s to 9s fid. About 700 cases of Sydney cirrus fruit wilt be to hand for the sale on Monday. The shipment consists principally of Mandarins, with a few cases of lemons and Sevilles. The following are the current wholesale prices : Oranges.—Rarotongan, 16s to 18s; Poorman oranges, 10s to 10s fid (prices firm); Sevilles, 8s fid to 9s 9d. Bananas. —Ripe, 3d to 3jd ; green, none offering. Apples. —Canterbury cookers: Wolseloys, 10s, other, 6s fid to 8s fid; choice, to ils j fid per bushel case; Hobart Scarlet dessert! Peat-mains, 12s fid per case of 4010; Stunners, 11s. Tomatoes. —Local hothouse. Is. Pears. —Very few offering. Tasmanian, 5s fid to 7s fid per box.

Lemons. —Mildura and Adelaide, very few offering, 15s 6d to 16s 6d per case. Mandarins. —Gins, 12s 6d to 14s 6d; bushels, 10s to lls 6d. Cucumbers.—Auckland hothouse, 9s to 12s. Passion fruit, 8s to 9s 6d per box.

Pineapples, 10s 6d to 12s. Honey.—Now season’s, in 101 b tins, 4s 6d per tin; bulk, sid to 4d; 41b packets, 5* to 3s 3d per dozen ; bottles, os per dozen. Cut Flowers.—Polyanthus, 6d to Is 3d; Narcissi, Is to Is 6d; Aluisas, 6d to ls» other varieties, 6d to Is per bunch. Vegetables.—Plentiful. Cabbage, up to 3s 6d per dozen for large Savoys; inferior sorts, 6d to la 6d per dozen; sacks, 6d to 2s 6d. Lettuce, Is to 2s 6d per case, for medium (good inquiry); choice, to Is 6d per dozen. Cauliflowers, 6d to Is 6d per dozen for small; choice, 2s to 3s 6d ; extra large 6s; sacks Is to 3s 6d. 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, 5d per dozen bunches, 2s 6d to 3s 6d per bag. Celery, 4d to 9d per bundle; choice, Is, Artichokes, Is to 2s per box. Radishes, 6d to 9d per dozen.* Best la per dozen bunches; 8s to 9s per sack. IMPORT MARKET. Morton’s herrings are in very short supply on the local market. There are,' hovyever, ample stocks of M‘Conoohio’« available. Cabled advice has been received that cream of tartar lias advanced 6s per ewt. An alteration in the price of sugar look place during the week, the price now being £lB 10s for any quantity. The next kerosene boat to arrive is the Cape Breton, which is due at the end of September. Prices are quoted the same as now existing.

A local firm ia in receipt of cabled advic® to the effect that salmon supplies this season will be much more than sufficient to meek nil requirements. English buyers are holding back, expecting that prices will decline. Owing to supplies coining forward from the Old Country more quickly than usual, prices for fencing material have been reduced by 5s per ton. and local ironmongers are < \periencing a brisk demand. The rate* now ruling are; —Black wire, £9 JOs to £l4 per ton; galvanised wire, £ll 5s to £ll 15s; and standards. £l2 to £l2 10s per ton.' Wire netting is quoted at £23 per mile. Certain sizea of standard iron are in short supply locally, and slightly higher rAtes are being asked for those sizes.

COM M V.IZVI All CABLEGRAMS LONDON, August 19. The wheat market is quiet: The sum of 37s is asked for South Australian February* March-June shipments, and 36s 6d for Ji:iy shipment. August 20. The American visible supply of wheat ia 57,278,000 bushels The demand for rabbits kina is quiet, and considerable quantities have been withdrawn. Light racks frequently declined id ; all other sorts unchanged. At the tallow sales 2236 casks were offered and 1271 sold. Prices arc unchanged. August 21. The Bank of England returns show lit* stock of gold coin and bullion to b« £40,741,000, reserve £31.404,000, proportion of reserve to liabilities 58.63 per cent. The notes in circulation total £39,344,000, public deposits £10,342,000, other deposits £43,214,000. Government securities £12,453,000, other securities £27.814.000. The bank rate of discount is 4-i pur cent. Short loans are discounted at 3 per cent., and three months’ bills as follows : London, 3| per cent. ; Paris, 3J per cent.; Berlin, 5 per cent. The following are the quotations for colonial Government stocks, compared with those ruling a week previously :

The wheat market is firm, though the demand, for cargoes is inactive. Two Australian cargoes have been sold at 36a. There is no Australian spot offering. The flour market is quiet, but' stocks are firmly held. The sum of 27s is asked for Australian afloat. The oats market is firm. The sum of 15s has been paid for T-a L’iata afloat. .Means and peas are quiet, and prices are unchanged. The butter market is dull, and all prices are nominally unchanged. The cheese market is firm, and prices are unchanged. The bacon market is flat. Australian flitches 62e to 68«.

Aug. 15 A UR. 78. New Wales 4's ... loti Hid New South Wales .‘tj’a OH j Ofii Now South Wales OJ’s... New South Wales 3's ... »89 "SO Si 82 Victorian 4’s 03 09 Victorian 3.}’* 03 03 Victorian 3J's ... t05 t9« Victorian 3’a 77 77 Queensland 4’s 100 an Queensland Si's 03 0.V Queensland 3's 7,4 78 South Australian 3J’a ... 80 39 South Australian 3'g ... 73 73 New Zealand 4's 101 131 New Zealand 3^'s 01 01 New Zealand 3’s 77 77 Tasmanian 3J's 80 80 Tasmanian 3's 81 31 West Australian 31's S3 80 West Australian 3's 30 31 • Repayable 1930-1050. t Repayable 1020-1049.