THE BREADSTUFF AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3117, 10 December 1913, Page 22

THE BREADSTUFF AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. Cargoes of wheat are reported as neglcctecl on the Condon market, with a drop of 3d per quarter. The prospect in Australia is for one of the largest crops on record, especially if the improvement reported in South .Australia, is verified by the linal figures for that State. One adverse factor affecting the wheat markets in Europe is the continued monetary stringency, the influence of which is being felt in every direction at present. In Sydney wheat is quoted to-day at 3s 6d to 3s bid (last week 3s 6d to 3s 7d); Adelaide, 3s 7d (3s bid to 3s 7d); Melbourne, 3s bid to 3s bd (3s bd to 3s bid). The local wheat market continues inactive. The quantity that has been offering during the week has been small, and what transactions have taken place have been on the basis of 3s 9d to 3s lOd for Tuscan, ox store, Dunedin, and 3s 10id for velvet oar. No samples of wheat have been offered for some davs. Quotations on trucks north of Oamaru are as follow; —Tuscan and Marshall s white, 3s 8d; velvet, 4s to 4s Id. Fowl wheat is readilv disposed of, good whole being quoted at 5s 'id to 5s 8d per bushel, sacks extra. An Auckland broker reports under date November 29: —"As far as Auckland is concerned there is now very-little outward appearance* of any trouble, 'lixe work of tho port is going on without interruption, and vessels arc now being discharged and ieloadcd with quick despabej). Merchants find very little trouble in getting goods transported from wharf to warehouse, or vice versa. Wc arc all pleas;d to see that our friends in the south have now got a steamer loading produce for Auckland, as all lines arc badiy wanted. Wc have had a spell of heavy gales and rain, but so far very little damage is reported. Grass is in abundance everywhere, and the crops arc looking splendid.” The tariff of the Floin millers’ Association for flour and other lines is as follows; Flour: Sacks, £9 5s per ton; 100. b bags, £9 15s; 501 b bags, £.10; 251 b bag's, £lO ss. Bran. £4 5s per ton. Pollard, £b. Oatmeal, £l2 10s. Pearl barley, £l6 10s. A few hundred sacks of oats have" been placed on the Waitomo, from Bluff and Dunedin, for shipment to Auckland, and this is the first export business in oats to record for some time past. There arc now, however, very few oats offering in Dunedin, those farmers who have oats in store being disinclined to accept current values, which are lower to-day than they wore some weeks ago, when there was even less activity than there is now. A Gartens are quoted at 2-5 to 2s 3d f.o.b. s.i., and Bs at 2s 2d. Altogether, the Waitomo is taking about 10,000 sacks of flour, bran, pollard, wheat, and pearl barley to Auckland. An Auckland broker reports as follows under date November 29:—“Milling wheat: The local mills have been operating fairly heavily of late, and some big lines of Timaru wheat have changed hands. The demand has evidently been satisfied, as normal conditions again prevail. Tuscan is worth 3s lOd, Hunter’s 4s Id, and pear 4s 3d, while mixed lines are quoted at 4s Id f.0.b., sacks extra. Fowl wheat: During the past, week there has been a very spirited demand for fowl wheat, and in consequence values have hardened to 3s Hd f.o.b. s.i. At this figure a fair quantity changed hands, but sellers are now asking 4s f.o.b. s.i., and as the demand docs not appear to be satisfied it is more than likely that buyers will have to pay 4s. Oats: During tiic strike period tho demand for oats lias been very disappointing, and values declined instead of hardening. This condition is no doubt duo to tho fact that large numbers of horses were turned out, and also to there being an abundance of grass everywhere. Now that normal conditions again prevail, the demand has revived, and prices have advanced Id per bushel. The f.o.b. markets appear to be very weak, and low quotations are being made. For A Cartons 2s 2jd is asked, B Cartons and A sparrows 2s 2d. and B sparrows 2s Igd f.o.b, s.i., and the only business being put through is for immediate shipment.” PRODUCE REPORT. A better tone prevails in the chaff market, the recent wot weather having restricted deliveries of first-class samples. The demand is chiefly for prime lots, and there is no difficulty of placing chaff of this description. Medium samples are also a little more saleable. The potato market shows further weakness, and prices have again dropped. Deliveries of old sorts are m excess of the demand. A shipment of new potatoes is due to arrive by the Wanaka at the beginning of next, week, and it is reported that fair quantities have been sold to arrive at up to 10s per cvvt. Says an Auckland broker, under date November 29: ---“ Business is confined to now potatoes, which are offering in large quantities. Owing to the difiiculty in shipping to Wellington and tho South Island stocks have accumulated, and prices are now back to £4 15s f.o.b. s.i. for No. 1 quality. As soon as tho regular service is resumed it is not unlikely that prices will advance. Eggs are in full supply, with a somewhat weaker demand. Prices, however, remain unchanged. Good quality dairy butter is readily placed at current quotations. Some of that coming forward, however, is nqt in too good condition, and is difficult to quit. The shipment of Californian onions, which was transhipped from the Willochra, arrived on a bare market, and tho bulk of them have been placed to land at from 13s 6d to 15s per case. The supply of pigs continues unequal to the demand. Hams have advanced Id per lb. Current wholesale prices are as follow; Chaff.—Prime heavy oaten sheaf, £4 to £4 ss; medium to good, £5 10s to £3 15s: inferior, £2 5s and upwards (sacks extra). Straw. —Oaten, to £2; wheaten. £1 15s. Potatoes.—Prime table sorts, 30s to 355; medium to good, to £1 ss; inferior, 10s per ton (bags in). Hay, £3: inferior, £2 and upwards. Onions.- Californian, in ca.sea, 13s 6d to 15s per case. Eggs.—Fresh, lid; stamped, 11 id.

Butter.—Dairy, 7gd to 8d per lb; milled, per lb; separator, in 11b packets, 9J)d. Pigs.—Baconers, 61d per lb; porkers, fiid. Bacon.—Rolls (in quantities), lOd; sides, 9id; hams. Is Id per lb. FRUIT REPORT. Supplies of strawberries from the Alexandra district have fallen off considerably during the week, more especially over the last two days, as a result prices have hardened fully Id to 2id per ib. Waimate grown are just commencing to make their appearance on the market, and it is expected that in another week there will again be full supplies. During the past 10 days over 200 crates (24 to 56 pottles in a crate) have been arriving here daily. A strong demand exists for strawberries for jammaking purposes, and fruit of this quality brings from 6d to Tjd per lb. The prices for green gooseberries keep firm, owing to tiro demand for jam making. The Californian apples ex Wdlochra, which have boca lying in the sheds at Wellington for some time past, have at last arrived, being brought forward by the Kaiapoi. Agents, however, have not yet got delivery of the fruit, owing to the difficulty in getting at the cases. There arc 850 cases in all to be unloaded. Shipments of Californian apples ex Makura and Canada Cape have yet to arrive, but it is expected that those will bo on the Wanaka. If they are not they should come to hand a day or two later. The Kaiapoi has also a shipment of American oranges on board, these being transhipped ex Willochra. A large proportion of them, however, owing to the delay in getting them here, are in very bad condition. As showing the advantage of cool storing in mooting the demand for apples during the off season—at enhanced prices—a local agent states that over the oast four weeks he has received, and disposed of, 1200 cases from one Christchurch- grower, he having a- private cool ctorc. Grapes are becoming more plentiful, and are being sold wholesale at 2s fid lb. Canterbury grown tomatoes arc arriving more frcclv, and prices now rule at from lOd to Is Id per lb. Local hothouse, from various growers, arc also coming on the market. Good supplies of cherries are coming forward, from Alexandra, Ashburton, and Lyttelton, and meet with n ready demand. A few cucumbers are coining in from the Mosgiel and Gore districts. A small supply of peanuts is on board the Wanaka. They will arrive on a bare market. Asparagus is about finished. Advice has been received that the last consignments are now coming forward from Christchurch. Now potatoes arc fairly plentiful, being forwarded by both European and Chinese growers. Green peas arc coming forward from Oama.ru, Tirnaru, and Christchurch. Owing to the recent unseasonable weather vegetables are in rather short supply, and realise high prices. The following are the current wholesale prices:— & Oranges.—Californian, just landed, 20s. Bananas. —Market bare owing to strike., Apples.—Canterbury conkers, 10s fid to 12s; Stunners, 10s fid to 15s fid; American, 14s to 15s fid. .Cucumbers, 9s to 12s per dozen. Lemons. — Market bare. Tomatoes. —Local hothouse. Is 2d to Is 4d; Christchurch, lOd to Is Id. Grapes.—Local hothouse, 2s fid per lb. Strawberries. —Jam, fid to 7;1 per pottle, fid (o 8d per lb; choice dessert, 7d tp 10id. Cherries. Lyttelton and Ashburton, fid to 8d; Alexandra, fid to 10id per lb. Asparagus, 4s fid to 5s fid per dozen. Honey.—ln 101 b tins, 4s per tin; bulk, 3 e, 1 to ’ 4d; ilb packets, 3s to 3s 3d per dozen ; bottles, Sts per dozen. Now Potatoes. —Local Peninsula, 2d to per lb. Green Peas.—Canterbury, 2d to 2gd per lb. Vegetables.—Cabbages, Is 9d to 3s 3d per dozen; sacks, up to ss. Lettuce, Is fid to 3s per case; choice, to 3s 2d per dozen. Cauliflowers, short supply, 3s to 12s per dozen; sacks, up to 9s. Table carrots, fid to 9d (old). Is to Is 3d (new) dozen bunches; Turnips (now), Is per dozen bunches. Spinach, Is to Is fid." Silver lAet, Is to 2s. Radishes, fid to Is per dozen. Rhubarb, 14s to 18s per cwt; supply short of demand. Spring onions* 3d to 4J,d per bundle of six bunches. IMPORT MARKET. Daily Times Office, Saturday morning. The Wanaka has on board a limited supply of sugar from Auckland ; also treacle unci' syrup. The Kittawa lias sufficient sugar on board to quite remove any shortage of supplies, which may exist at the present time. A parcel of treacle and} syrup is likewise being landed ex the Kittawa.. Stocks of Sicily and Jordan almonds, new season’s eultanas, currants, figs, dates, and muscatels, transhipped at Melbourne, and waiting to be brought on to Dunedin, cannot now bo got forward for the local Christmas trade. The New Zealand merchants arc being doubly penalised as a result of the strike. Firstly, a lot of their goods ordered for the Christinas market are lying at Melbourne, and cannot be brought through; consequently a rapid sale is being missed, and merchants will probably have to carry stocks for some time ere a clearance is effected. Secondly, though they have not received the goods, they are being called upon to pay for them, on sight drafts. The Kaiapoi, which arrived here on Thursday from the north, brought supplies of now season’s seeded raisins, prunes, Edmond’s baking powder. North Island hams, pork germane, Gear Company’s assorted' meats, Capstan 2oz medium tobacco. Three Castles loz and 2oz, and Old Judge tobacco and cigarettes. The Canada Cape, now discharging at Wellington, has brought supplies of canned) fruits from California. These fruits should be got through to Dunedin by next week, and will arrive on a practically bare market. A parcel of maizena was landed from the Mimiro during the week. A lino of Hunky Dory boot polish is being landed at Auckland ex the Zcalandic. The .parcel for Dunedin will be transhipped, and should arrive hero by the end of the week. An illustration of the aptness of the old saying that the first shall be last and the last first is afforded by a shipment of currants which arrived ex Turakina. These currants missed the French mail steamer at Marseilles and while those parcels which caught the steamer were brought on to Mellvourne, the line referred to had to bo taken back to London and'’there placed on the Turakina. The transhipments from Mellioimie are still lying in the sheds there, while the Turakina’s currants arc now being

landed at the Victoria wharf, and have caught the Christmas market. The Turakina brought supplies of roofing iron, standard bars, and sundry general hardware lines. Messrs Bickford, Smith, and Co. notify merchants that an advance of id pej 1 coil has taken place in the price of Blue Jacket fuse, while Messrs Nobel notify a similar increase in the price of Rod Sump. Double tap© fuse has been increased id per coil.