THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 14

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. The United States Department of Agriculture at Washington has revised its estimate of the American wheat crops. The yield ia expected to reach b 53,000,000 bushels, which compares with the June estimate of 678,000,000 bushels. Presumably _orop conditions were less favourable during the month of July, as it is seen that the decrease amounts to 25,000,000 bushels. The present figures may be compared with the final yields in preceding years as under: 1910-11 .„ 621,338,000 1911-12 730,267,000 1912-13 >.. .~ 763,380,000 1913-14 ... 891,617,000 1914-15 „ ... 1,002,019,000 1915-16 613,000,000 ♦1916-17 653,000,000 'Estimated. In the absence of offerings there is very little doing in the local wheat market. According to advioes received by the Government, where is at present no steamer on the way from Australia to "New Zeajand with a cargo of wheat, the .-strike preventing export. Fowl wheat _is in short supply. Australian wheat is being sought for feeding, prices range up to 6s 6d ex store for small lots. Oatmeal is quoted at £2l a ton for 25's; pearl barley, £2O 10s; pollard, £7 10s (fixed py Government); bran, £4 5s (fixed by Government). The oat market is weaker. During the week merchants have beon endeavouring to quit their stocks, but although in some instances lower prices have been quoted, there is little or no response from North Kand buyers. Offerings from the, country ve been on the light side, but what demand there is is principally confined to heavy Gartons suitable for milling or seed Eurposes. A Gartons-. aro quoted at 4s 3d ) 4s 3»{d, f.0.b., s.i., B's at 4s 2d, A Spartows at 4s 9d, andl B Sparrows at 4s l£d. PRODUCE REPORT. Contrary to expectations the chaff market Is still poorly supplied with consignments, and good quality shows a slight increase in price. The northern potato market is again weaker. The local market fluctuates somewhat, in accordance with the standard of quality of the tubers. Merchants are now beginning to restrict their purchases to fulfilling immediate orders. A line of five tons of choice potatoes is reported to have changed hands at £5 a ton, but the average prico for good quality ranges from £4 5s to £4 10s. There appears to be no lack of supplies. Medium and unpicked lines are quite out of favour, and are almost unsaleable. Stocks of both oaten and wheaten straw continue on tho light side. A good demand exists for both varieties at advanced prices. Onions have fallen Is per cwt during the week. Supplies of both eggs and dairy butter aro becoming more plentiful. The de- ( mand, however, is quite equal to the 3upply. Current wholesale prices are as follow: — Chafß. —Prime oaten sheaf, £6 5s to £6 12s 6d; medium to good, £5 10s to £6 (sacks extra).

Straw.—Oaten, £3 10s to £3 15s'; wheaten, £2 15s to £3.

Prime clover hay, £5 10s to £5 15s. Potatoes.—Prime lines, £4 5s to £4 10s per ton (sacks in); medium to good aro unquotable. Melbourne onions, 19s per cwt. Eggs, Is 2d to Is 2£d. Butter.—Milled bulk, Is 4d per lb; dairy and separator, in lb packages, to Is 4d. Honey.—Bulk, 6d; 101 b tins, 5s 6d; 2lb pottles," 15s to 18s a dozen; 21b tins, 15s. Pigs.—Baconers, 7£d per lb; porkers, to B£d. i?noon.—Rolls, local, Is 2d; Christchurch, Is 2d • sides, Is Id; hams, Is 2d; ham rolls. Is 3d. FRUIT REPORT. Business has been a little brisker in the fruit marts during the week in consequence of the .arrival of _ transhipments of Fiji bananas and Californian and Valencia oranges by the Breeze and the Tarawera. A few cases of Auckland-grown lemons also came to hand. Moderate supplies of apples have arrived from Otago Central and Canterbury. In tho absence of sufficient supplies to meet the demand the market is firm. Extra choice desserts would probably command 5d per lb. A nice line of cookers —green French crabs—came forward from Clyde, and were disposed of at 4d per lb. A few cases of Lord Wolseleys, out of Canterbury cool stores, brought 12s 6d to 13s 6d per case of 401 b.

Vegetables are in short supply. Cauliflowers aro just about finished. Rhubarb is a little bit more plentiful. The following are the current wholesale prices: Apples are in very short suppi.?; Otago Central —Dessert, Sturmers and Rokewocds, choice, 4^d; cooking, to 4d; Canterbury— Lord Wolseleys, 13s to 13s 6d; dessert, 12s to 14s.

Lemons.—Aucklands only available; 13s to 16s per case. Oranges. —Poorman, for marmalade, lis to 12s, about finished; Valencia, 40s. Walnuts, 9|d to 10£d. Bananas.—Green, 12s 6d to 13s 6d, ripe, to 18s 6d.

Cabbages, 3s to 4s per dozen; inferior, 2s to 3s per sack. Cauliflowers: Best, 10s to 12s 6d per sack; medium, 8s to 9s; inferior, 2s to 4s. Lettuce, to 3s per dozen. Parsnips, 4s 6d to 5s 6d per cental; sacks, to 10s; cases, to 4s. Carrots, 3s to 4s per cental; sacks to 7s. Beetroot, Is ,6d per dozen. Spring- onions, to 6d per bundle. Radishes, 9d to Is per dozen. Swedes, 4s per sack; 2s to 2s 3d for cental bags and cases. Potatoes. —Taiori-grown, in sack lots, 5s per cwt for choice; medium, 4s to 4s 6d.

MERCHANDISE MARKET. The raising of the freight from England to New Zealand to 2Oos - per ton should shortly have an effect in advancing local prices of the commodities which have to pay this charge. Preserved ginger is almost unprocurable. A shipment of 3 in 1 oil is due to arrive shortly. An overseas vessel has supplies of Robinson's groats and barley. This is the last shipment that will come to hand until permission is again given to export it from England. Tho 6ame vessel is also bringing supplies of Goddard's plato powder, Morton a

castor oil, and Eno's fruit salt. The castor oil, soz bottles, is quoted at lis pex dozen. New season's Snip's limejuice, 320 z, is quoted at 18s per dozen; 40oz, 21s. Melhuish's sauce, pints and quarts, has advanced in price.

A shipment of Oalifornian prunes has just arrived to a bare market. Prioes range from 7d to 7&d, according to quality. Supplies of Burmah candles are practically exhausted in the local market. Brook's lemon squash, a Melbourne production, has advanced 2s per dozen. The current quotation is now 18s. A line of Velio rennet, manufactured in Hastings, is due to arrive here next week. Bottles of 2oz are quoted at 8s bd per dozen ; quarter pints, 16s 6d. Oakey'6 knife polish is now Worth 8s per dozen. Colman's starch, the export of which has been prohibited by the British Government, is getting into short supply. According to the newspaper cablegrams published on Saturday whisky at Home has soared to extraordinary prices, consequent on tho stoppage of distillation and the restriction of tho clearances of spirits from bonds. It is stated that well-known brands of whisky fetched £7 per dozen at auction—nearly 12s a bottle. iSome Irish bulk whiskies, 6 degrees under proof, brought £5 18s a gallon. Fair supplies of whisky for New Zealand are, however, now on the water.