CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3335, 13 February 1918, Page 12

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS, (Lyttelton Times, February 9.) The past week has not been very active in transactions between growers and grim and seed buyers, for the reason, presumably that farmers have been taking full advantage of tho improved weather conditions and have been busy with the wheat harvest. There have been numerous transactions in wheat, sales being effected at the fixed prices. There is no competition among merhants or brokers except to secure tho handling of the crop and the outside represensatves of several firms are particularly busy in the country districts. Prime milling samples from the early crops are arriving on the market; but the quantity being handled is comparatively small, owing to most of the farmers being compelled to put the wheat into stack consequent upon the unfavourable weather delaying the progress of the travelling thrashing outfits. Comparatively little business is passing in oats, although most of the early thrashing is about completed. Outside demand is not particularly brisk. Algerians are worth from 3e 3d to 3s 6d a bushel at country station for good, bright feed lines, and up to 3s 9d for seed samples. Very few Cartons are coming in. Much of the crop has been affected by rust, and such samples and inferior oats are bringing from 2s 6d to 2s 9d, but good quality Cartons are worth 3s 3d to 3s 6d. Duns are scarce, but a few parcels have, it is reported, changed hands at 3s 3d a bushel. Barley quotations remain unaltered, prime malting being worth 5s 6d to 5s 9d, and feed lines from 4s 6d a bushel, according to quality, br-.' Whilst the opinion prevails that there are large quantities of ryegrass waiting, to be brought in, the farmers' offerings at present are scanty. Prices are still as quoted last week: Perennial 23-261 b seed 3s to 3s 6d, extra heavy and bright to 4s, lighter samples;2s to 2s 9d; Italian 3s. to 3s 9d. . . Cocksfoot samples are not coming in readily owing to ,the weather being unfavourable for thrashing. Small lines from both the plains and the Peninsula have been sold, and one substantial parcel -from the Peninsula brought Is per lb. The market values range from 9sd ±o Is. Chaff is selling at £4 a ton for good bright samples, and from that figure to £3 10s for medium quality. Little business is being done in potatoes. The appearance of the blight caused many farmers to seek a market, but buyers axe careful, not car ug to buy for storage owing to the bad keeping qualities of tubers affected by the disease. For immediate delivery £4 a ton is being paid, and £3 10s to £3 15s for forward delivery. , Onions are being marketed more freely, with prices at £4 10s 'to £5 for immediate and £4 for forward delivery. TIMARU MARKETS. Inactivity is the chief characteristic of the local wheat .market at present (writes tho Timaru correspondent of the Christchurch Prees). Farmers are now very busy with harvesting operations, and grain is to be seen in stook all over the district. A fair number of stacks are already up, and thrashing from the stook is proceeding where it is possible to get a mill as soon as tho grain is ready for thrashing. It is quite clear that what jpromised early in the season to be almost, if not quite, a record harvest, will not now be an average one, the crops having gone off in an astonishing way through blight and excessive rain. A few lines of wheat have been on the market during the week, but they were in rather soft condition, and not suitable for milling: Some of these lines are being kept by the growers to harden. It is estimated that the average yield over the whole district will be between 20 and 25 bushels. Oats are not offering at all freely, and the fear is expressed that low yields will prevent this cereal from being offered in any volume throughout the season. Fortunately, however, the oat crops in Otago and Southland are looking exceedingly well, and promise to more than make up for the deficiency in Canterbury. Algerians are quoted at 2s lOd to 3s 2d on trucks, country stations, while Gartens and Duns are worth 3s 3d to 3s 6d, according to samples, eack<i extra. Oatsheaf chaff is inquired for, but it is not yet ready to stand the pressure of cutting and bagging. Values are, therefore, nominal, to-day's quotations being £4 to £4 10s, on trucks, sacks found by buyers. Ryegrass j e not yet offering very freely, and the market is inclined to be a little quieter, owing to the presence on 'the southern markets of south-grown seed in fair quantities. Perennial is worth 2s 6d to 4s, prices varying according to samples and brightness. Italian is in poor demand at 2s 6d to 3s 9d. Cocksfoot is scarce, and farmers' lines of well dressed are worth Is per lb. Ne potatoes are yet offering, none of the crops being ready for digging. It is just as well that this is so, as reports from the main consuming centres indicate a plethora of tubers especially on the Wellington market, where locally-grown potatoes nave sold as low as 3s 6d to 4s per cwt. Blight appears to be general, but the actual dam-

* ago will not bo ascertainable until digging time |