THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3327, 19 December 1917, Page 16

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. After a prolonged delay, complete official returns of shipments""*of wheat and flour pf several principal exporting countries for |ho 12 months ended July 31, 1917, have jbeen published. Reckoning flour as wheat

at a' 70 per cent, extraction, a summary' of the returns is as follows: —

" *Tho official account of the exports from the United States and Canada (states Broomhall) are more than ever involved this season, as both countries have imported from one another considerable quantities for domestic consumption, beside: the quantities imported temporarily for re-exporta-tion." Reports of the Argentina wheat crop received in Condon early last month state that the outlook is so good that the Government has amended its forecast of the yield at 30,000,000 quarters, which quantity exceeds by 6,000,000 quarters the largest crop hitherto harvested. Broomhall states that official forecasts in the past have often proved to be much greater than the quantities actually harvested. His own agent puts the likely surplus at well over 18,000,000 quarters, which looks quite a moderate quantity compared with the Government forecast, but even this estimated surplus exceeds all previous records. Mail advices at the end of September state that the movement Of winter wheat from farms in America is slow. One reason, no doubt, is that farmers are sti 11 much occupied with sowings for next year's crop. In this connection the Modern Miller says that conditions for seeding have been ideal, and that the acreage sown to winter wheat is the largest on record.

Dnnedin millers have carted practically all the Australian shipment of wheat from

the wharves. A few small lines of New Zealand-grown wheat -arc coming in, and these are readily secured by millers. Fowl wheat is in very short supply, and prices range as high as 8s for this commodity. Flour is quoted at £ls a ton. Oatmeal, £2l a ton for 25's; pearl barley, £l9 10s; pollard. £7 10s (fixed by Government); bran. £4 5s (fixed by Government). There is very little doing in the oats market, though a little inquiry has been made from the North Island for duns. There are no offers in Dunedin, where the stores are about emptied, but a few lines have come in from the country. Merchants anticipate a better demand in January, and already there are inquiries from the North Island for quotations for delivery in that month. The forward business is still attracting attention. Buyers, however, are offering such a low price that there is no response. Sellers are asking 3s 8d to 3s 9d, f.0.b., sacks in. ' PRODUCE REPORT.

Consignments of chaff have .slackened off considerably, but. it is still difficult to effect st-les, owing to the feeders being fully stocked, and using little chaff now that there is plenty of grass. <. . The demand for old potatoes is limited, and low prices, have to be accepted in order .to make a clearance. Good quality are selling up to 35s per ton, but there is no demand for medium, stocks of which are very heavy. New potatoes are being quoted "in Auckland at ,£9 10s a ton on. trucks.

Eggs have advanced by Id per dozen. A full yarding of good quality baconers maintained late rates at the Burnside sale this week, but porkers were slightly easier. Best baconers sold up to B£d per lb, and best porkers from Bgd. to B|d per lb. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Chaff. —PrinTG oaten sheaf, £6; medium to good, £4- to £4 15s (sacks extra). Straw.—Oaten, £3; wheaten, £2 10s. Potatoes. —Prime lines, to £1 15s per ton (sacks in); medium to inferior are unquotable. Eggs, Is 3d. Butter.—Milled, bulk, Is Id to Is 2d per lb; second quality, Is; dairy separator, in lib package, lid to Is. Honey.-Bulk, 6d; 101 b tins, 5s 6d. Pigs.—Baconers, 7|d to 8d per lb; porkers, Bid to 9d. Bacon.—Rolls, local, Is 3d; Christehurch rolls, Is 3d ; sides, Is 2d; hams, Is 2d; ham rolls, Is 3d. FRUIT REPORT. Strawberries from Otago Central are about finished. A fair quantity is, however, coming to hand from Waimate, and is meeting with a keen demand. The Canterbury and Otago Central districts are sending in good supplies of cherries. The fruit is the_ effects of _ the recent wet weather. F_air prices are being maintained, choice realising up to Is a pound. A shipment of about 700 cases of bananas arrived during the week, being transhipped at Auckland. The competition at 'the > various sales was keen, prices ranging up to 32s 6d a case. A small line of oranges and lemons arrived during the week. The lemons brought 21s to 25s a case, and the oranges from 17s to 18s. From 30s to _ 32s 6d per case is being asked for American oranges. The demand for vegetables has eased off a little. < A small consignment of onions arrived from Melbourne during the week. Some of the onions were in poor condition, having evidently been shipped before being properly dried. Current prices are as follow :. — Apples.—Canterbury dessert, 15s; American, 18s to 19s for Jonathans; other kinds, 16s to 17s. Oranges.—Sydney, " 20s to 22s 6d; Californian, 30s to 32s 6d; Adelaide, 17s per case. Lemons. —Adelaide, 21s to 255. Bananas. —Market barely supplied; green, as landed, 28s 6d to 325. Strawberries, 9d to Is per pot'tle. Cherries, 9'd to Is for choice; medium, 6d to 8d per lb. Asparagus, 4s to 5s per dozen; about finished. Cucumbers. —Local, 6s_.6d to 9s per dozen; Sydney, 9s 6d ner box. Cabbages.—Choice, up 'to 4s per dozen; inferior, Is to 2s per sack. Cauliflowers: Choice, to 7s per dozen ; medium, loose, 2s 6d to 4s per dozen. Lettuce, 2s to 3s 6d per case; choice, 3s to 4s per dozen. Parsnips, 8d to Is 6d per dozen. Carrots: New, Is to Is' 3d per dozen bunches. Spring onions, 4d to 6d per bundle. Radishes, 4d to 6d per dozen bunches. New potatoes, l£d to 2d per lb; medium and small, l&d to lj|d. Green gooseberries, to 2|d; inferior and small, l£d. Silver beet, to 2s per dozen bunches. Green peas, lgd to 23d per lb. Plums. —Canterbury, 4Ad to sd*- per lb. Apricots, s§d to 62d. MERCHANDISE MARKET. A parcel of Muim's maizena has arrived on the market. A lino of Pine Tree turpentine has just been landed, and is quoted at about 42s to 42s 6d per case. Supplies of Californian muscatels, see'ded and seedless raisins, prunes, figs, canned fruits, and evaporated apples, peaches, and apricots should be available within the next day or two. Varnishino is now quoted at 5s per dozen. A parcel of new season's Jack apples has arrived from Tasmania. Cartons are quoted at 13s 6d a dozen and bulk at Is per lb. A large cargo of general merchandise lines has just come to hand. Supplies of arrowroot are again available. American cream of tartar and 3-in-l oil have been landed during the week. Murray's (Limited) are now putting up cocoa and milk and coffee and miJJc in large and small tins. The latest quotations for corks show an advance in price.

A shipment of preserved ginger has arrived on the market. Prices range from Is to Is Ojcl, according to sizes. A line of Hawaiian pines is duo to arrive next week.

Stocks of tinned herrings are very much depleted. There is no export from Britain, and no advice of any Californian being available.

Java peanuts are on the market. The quotation is about 5d per lb. Safety matches are g'etting into small compass

Bushels. United States 200,800,000* Canada 184,00O?C00* Australia 70,400,000 Argentina 56,000,000 India 52,800,000 Russia 3,360,000 North Africa, Chili, etc. 6,000,000 Total 573,360,000