THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 12

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. At the beginning of December, 1915-16, and 1916-17, wheat awaiting shipment from Australia aggregated, according to official returns, 134,412,000 bushels. . That was without allowing for probable mice and weevil losses. Assessing this damage tit, 5 per cent, of the last crop, in December there was still in Australia an exportable surplus of merchantable wheat of about 127,500,000 bushels. Large deliveries of 1917-18 wheat have been already made, but the Australian crop on present estimates will be 45 •to 50 million bushels less than last year, and ihe Australian exportable surplus this season will probably be between 65 'and 70 million bushels. Even so-, that, with the huge reserves of old wheat, will give an aggregate of something like 200,000,000 bushels available for export from Australia during the current shipping season; and, unless the unexpected happens, it is doubtful if even half of that quantity will be accounted for between now and the end of November, which marks the close of a normal Australian breadstuffs shipping year. Twelve months ago wheat was literally pouring out of Australia. There was a great rush of ships to this part of the world for wheat bought on account of the Imperial Government, but the rate of output fell away sharply about Easter. This year to date exports have been below normal.^ New season's wheat is coming in from Canterbury.' The quality is good, but the agents in North Canterbury state that the crops are not thrashing out as well as was anticipated and that some of the returns are disappointing. So far there have been no rejections locally on the score of-quality. Dunedin millers are not carrying stocks of wheat, but sufficient is now arriving to keep them going. Another shipment to about 2000 tons of Australian wheat is due to arrive in from eight to 10 days' time. The quality of the wheat thrashed in the Lakes district is very good, there being no signs of frost, which was at one time thought to have affected the Otago Central cereal. Further shipments of fowl wheat have arrived from Australia. It is reported that in consequence of some of the crops being " laid" on heavy land a fair quantity of fowl wheat should be available when thrashing fully commences. 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). Government prices for wheat: 5s lOd per bushel all round for February, March, and April delivery. , Thero is a bettor tone in the oats market, millers operating fairly freely in order to ' supply early contracts of oatmeal. Speculators are also turning over a little business. The first lines available are sought after, and sales have been made on trucke Taicri at 3s 6d to. 3s 7£d. As regards the shipping business, there is not much doing. Prices may be named as follow: —A Gartons, 4s Id, f.0.b., s.i.; B's, 3s lid to 3s Hid; A Sparrows, 3s lid, and B's 3s 9d. Ryegrass seed meets with a good inquiry. Heavy weight perennial is selling at about 4s on trucks. Lighter weight seed and Italian have been sold at 3s 6d to 4s on trucks, but this market has eased •ornewhat,

and the last-named price would bo Sard to obtain to-day. PRODUCE REPORT. Consignments of chaff aro in greater supply than the, demand, and the market is distinctly easier. . The market is well supplied with potatoes. The quality, however, leaves something to bo desired, as several lines show signs of disease. , There is practically no oaten straw on tlie market. Wheaten is worth about £3. Hie market is not very brisk. Eggs show a sharp advance in price on tllO \VGCK. There was a medium yarding of pigs at Burnside on Wednesday, and all were sold under keen competition. Best bacpners were firmer in price, realising from BJd to B£d per lb; best porkers realised up to B£a per lb. . c ~ Current wholesale prices are as follow. Fowl Wheat.—Australian, 7s 3d a bushel. New Zealand grown, unprocurable in tne meantime. , . ~ , n fi 10 ,. Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf, about *A ius, medium to good, £4 to £4 10s (sacks £6 10s to £7 per ton (sacks Straw—Oaten, £3* 10s; wheaten. £3. fer.-MHIS bug" is Id to is 2d Per lb; second quality, Is; dairy separator, in lib packages, Is to Is -2d. ■ Honey.—New season e 8d per lb. _ Pigs.-Baconers, 8d to B£d per lb, P bK.-b2£ local, Is 3d; Christchurch rolls, Is 3d; sides, Is 3d; hams, Is 3d; ham rolls, Is 3d. FRUIT REPORT. - ' The fruit market has been very brisk during the week, heavy supplies coming forward from all parts, but principally from Otago Central and Canterbury. Apricots are just about finished, a tew odd lots only coming forward. These meet ■with a keen demand. .. , Supplies of peaches are more plentiful, the mid season's crop now arriving in quantity. Prices show a wide margin. A line of pears had to be destroyed this -week, as the fruit was infected with codlm moth. This means that tho cases have also to be burnt. Included in the line was a very fine lot of Bon Chretien pears from Governor's Bay (Lyttelton).. , . , New season's apples are coming in botn from Otago Central and Canterbury in fairly large quantity. These are meeting with a ready sale. A small line of Cox's Orange Pippin arrived this morning, and was quickly disposed of. Tomatoes are arriving freely trom Otago Central and Canterbury, bales are readily effected, but prices have easCd in consequence of the full supplies. _ A shipment of bananas arrived this week from Suva, via Wellington, thence rail from Lyttelton. The fruit arrived in very bad condition, some of 'it being over-ripe. The fruit, however, met with a good sale, fair conditioned fruit bringing high prices. The market is bare of oranges and lemons. Plums' are plentiful, and are selling for jam purposes at as low as Id per lb. Choice dessert varieties meet with a good demand. . . , „ Current wholesale prices are as follow: — Apples.—New season's dessert, 7s 9d to 9s 6d per case; cookers, 5s 6d to 6s. Pears.—Best to 3d; others, lid to 2d. Lemons.—None available. Keen demand. Cucumbers. —Local hothouse, 5s to 9s; outside grown, Is 3d to Is 9d per box (plentiful). Plums. —Dessert, in crates, to 3id; others, 2id to 3d; jam, lid to lsd; greengages, 3d to 4d per lb. ; ' Apricots. —Getting finished; cases, d%d to 3id; for jam, l|d to 2id; crates, 3£d to 4id. Nectarines, in crates, to 4£d per lb; in cases, 3d to 4d for best; small, 2£d to 3d. Peaches.—Cases, 3d to 4d; crates, 3£d to 6d; jam, 2£d to 3d. Tomatoes. —Local hothouse, to 6d; Christchurch,' outside, 2d to 3d; Nelson, 5s 6d per case of 241 b. Raspberries, to 7^d. Grapes, Is to Is 3d. Green Peas.—Plentiful, lid to 2d. New Potatoes. —Peninsula, to 9s 4d per owt; Oamaru and Christchurch, to £7. Cabbages. —Choice, up to Is 9d per dozen ; inferior, Is to 2s per sack. Cauliflowers, up to 4s per dozen; medium, 23 to 3s. Lettuce, 2s to 2s 6d per case; choice, Is 6d per dozen. Parsnips, Is to Is 6d per dozen. Carrots, new, Is per dozen. Spring onions, 2d to 3d per bundle. Radishes, 4d to 6d per dozen bunches. French beans, l-£d to 2d; butter beans, Id to lgd; broad beans, lid. MERCHANDISE MARKET. An increase of 6d per dozen has taken place in the price of large Brasso. Sugar of milk has also slightly advanced. Carraway seeds, which are very short, are quoted at 4s. This is considerably below tho price if landed to-day. Hydroleino soap has, in sympathy with other brands, advanced to 43s per cwt. Sugar is in very short supply, owing to the fact that few boats are coming from Auckland. Three or four lines of biscuits have advanced by id to Id per lb.„ Owing to tho high cost of oil, Wilson's Malt Extract and Cod Liver Oil has been advanced to 34s for the large size, and 19s 6d for the small. COMMERCIAL CABLEGRAMS. LONDON, February 14. Bank of England returns: —Gold coin and bullion in hand, _ £57,825,000; reserve, £21,332,000; proportion of reserve to liabilities, 18.96 per cent.; notes in circulation, £46,061,000; Government deposits, £39,011,000; other deposits, £126,265,000; Government securities, £56,340,000; other securities, £95,667,000. Discount on short loans, 3g per cent.; three months bills, 3|d per cent. War loans: 3i per cent., £BS 10s; 4 per cent., £93 10s. Quotations for colonial stocks, as compared with those for the previous week:— Feb. 7. Feb. 1-1.

There aro no offerings of Australian wheat and flour, either spot or on passage. Tho small supply of English sells rapidly. Oats.—Firm, little offering. Peas and beans. —Strong. Sugar.—Unchanged. y Tho Food Controller will distributer on Saturday one-eighth of the trade's February applications for butter. There is no news of any distribution of cheese. LONDON. February 16. Hemp and jute in fair demand at Government rates. Rubber: Para, 2s 6d; plantation, 2s 3£d; smoked, 2s 3idi. WASHINGTON, February 15. Chicago reports that wheat and flour supplies east of the Rocky Mountains equal 16,541,000 bushels. DUNEDIN MARKETS FARM ANH DAIRY PBODUCS. Mr B. J. M'Abthub (successor to Messrs M'llroy Bros.). George street, reports paying for produce during the week ending tee 19th inst., as follows: Stamped fresh 'K;gs I Hocey (i lb put), 4/6 1/10 doz Hon.y (bulk),i»d lb Salt Butter, 1/- lb I Hoeey (section), 7/6 doa Sep. Butter, 1/- lb I Hocey (Cartons), lib, 6/- | alb, 10/- doz | Beeswax, 1/8. Compressed yeast, 8d packet. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. WELLINGTON, February 18. The High Commissioner reported as follows on February 16: — Meat.—Although there is a slight increase in tho supplies coming forward-the demand exceeds the supply. All descriptions are selling at the maximum New Zealand and Patagonian lamb, United States frozen beef, and Argentine chilled beef. ... Butter and Cheese.—The conditions are unchanged. There is an active demand, with short supplies. The maximum prices aro not changed. Hemp.—For Manila and New Zealand spot the market is strong. In Manila a moderate business has been done for forward shipment, but there is nothing doing in New Zealand hemp on account of the freight. The Manila output for the last week in January was 20,000 bales, and tho stocks on January 1 were 19,271 bales, as against 41,165 bales on February 1 last year. Wheat.—The market is quiet owing to tho absenco of offers. • Oats.—There is an active demand at full prices. THE OAMARU MARKET. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, February 16. The weather this week has been favourable for harvest operations, and good progress has been made, but to-day it has broken badly, and a stop lias been put to work. Business has boon commenced in wheat, a number of sales being reported at Government prices. The samples submitted are generally pronounced good. One line of 500 sacks which changed hands, and comprising velvet, red chaff, and Tuscan, was of splendid quality all round, but m another case the wheat was rather on the soft sido owing to having been thrashed rather too soon.

A good many farmers were in town today offering oats, mainly of the Algerian variety. The samples of these Algerians varied very considerably, ..especially in the matter of weight, and sales recorded ranged from 2s lid to 33 3d net, at country stations, the higher prices being obtained for weighty lines. . The Gartons generally, so far seen on the market are of good quality, and sales have been made net. at country stations, of milling quality at 3s 6d, and A grade at 3s 5d and 3s 6d. The first transaction in oaten sheaf chaff for the season is reported, a line of medium quality having been sold at a country sta,tion at £3 15s net, sacks provided. A fair number of offerings of perennial ryegrass seed have been made. The quality' varies very considerably in respect to both weight and colour. One line of bright 261 b seed found a purchaser at 4s net, but .other lines, either on the light side or offcolour, were disposed of at from 3s to 3s 6d. SOUTHLAND MARKETS. (Fkom Ouk Own Cokbespondent.) INVERCARGILIi, February 16. ~- A fair amount of business in oats has been done during the week, but this ha 3 been confined to merchants who- have been disposing of the small stocks in their possession. There are very few of last season's oats in stock on*" farmers' account, and recent sales have been made at prices equivalent to, roughly, 3s 3d on trucks for A grade Gartons, and it is not anticipated that opening prices for new crop will exceed this figure. New oats will be offering in a month or six weeks time at the latest. ' The chulf market i 3 rather dull, owing to the Canterbury new crop being now ready, and ,tho price has receded to £6 per ton on trucks. It is evident that in the near future there will be a further drop, as northern merchants will be supplied from Canterbury at lower than the rates at present current locally. Very little ryegrass has been offering so far, and farmers do not seem disposed to make sales unless they receive extra good prices. The general opinion is that there .is little or no seed grown anywhere this year that can be considered worth more than 3s 6d per bushel. However, owing to a certain number of sales of a speculative nature, having been made, this prioo has been exceeded by merchants who require seed to complete their orders for autumn delivery. If the Canterbury crop is harvested in good condition present prices certainly cannot hold. There is little activity in the hemp market, exoept in respect to intermittent demand from Australia, for which business high fair is worth in the vicinity of £SO on trucks. London merchants could readily absorb all the hemp available, but shipment is still in tho.samo unsatisfactory condition, space being well nigh unprocurable for even a few tons. GRAIN AND PRODUCE SALES. Messrs Dalgoty and Co. report:—Oats: Thero is no volume of business passing in this cereal. All good bright samples aro readily handled at lato values, and feed 1 oats also moet a ready sale on arrival for local requirements. Prime milling, 3s 9d to 3s lOd; good to best feed, 3s 8d to 3s 9d; medium and discoloured, 3s 3d to 3s 6d per bushel (socks extra). Wheat: Practically no business passing in old Potatoes: Consignments have been heavier during the past week, and sales can only be effected at a reduction in values. Many of the arrival* of late show signs of disease,

and aiD out of favour with buyers, who show a decided preference for choice quality. Best tables, £6 10s to £7; medium to good, £6 to £6 10s per ton (bags in). Chaff: The market has been better supplied of late, and slightly lower values have to be accepted. Choice quality is in most demand, medium quality and light lines are more difficult to quit. Choice, to £7; good oaten sheaf, £6 10b to £6 15s; medium to good, £5 to £6; damaged and inferior, from £3 per ton (sacks extra). Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report: — Oats: There is good demand for the new season's crop. Prime Gartons have most attention, but Sparrowbills are also saleable, while duns and other special seed lines have strong inquiry. Prime milling, 3s 9d to 3s lOd; good to best feed, & 8d to 3a 9d; inferior to' medium/3s to 3s 7d per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat: No new season's wheat has made its appearance in the market as yet. Potatoes: Consignments have been coming in more freely, and values aro somewhat easier. Best freshly-dug lots, £6 10s to £7; others £5 10s to £6 per ton (bags included). _ Chaff: The market is more fully supplied, and owing to the abundance of grass, buyers' requirements aro not eo heavy as usual. Except for prime oaten 6heaf the demand is slack, and even this class is not so keenly sought after. Values consequently show a drop of about 5s per ton. Best oaten sheaf, £6 10s to £6 15s; choice, to £7; medium to good, £6 to £& 7s 6d>; light and discoloured, £5 to £5 15s per ton (bags extra). Grass seed: Heavy lines of perennial ryegrass continue to meet with good demand. Light samples are offering freely, but for these and for Italian ryegrass the market is weaker. Best heavy perennial sells at 3s 6d to 4s per bushel (sacks extra, on truck, country stations.) Cocksfoot is in strong demand. Best heavy seed, 12d to per pound (sacks extra). SALE OF STUD RAMS. J MASTERTON, February 18. At tho dispersal sales of the Mataavhero Lincoln stud on Saturday 780 animals were fold at an average of 12£ guineas. Messrs Percy Bros, paid 310 guineas for a twoshear and Mr W. Perry 210 guineas for a three-shear ram, while other rams realised from 100 guineas, to 150. CLEARING SALE. The Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of New Zealand reports having held an exceptionally successful sale on Thursday, on account of Mrs Peter Ford, near Allanton. There was a capital gathering of farmers from all parts- of the Taieri Plain, Palmerston, Waikouaiti, Blueskin, Peninsula, Milton, and Clutha. Buyers were numerous, and were keen bidders, as the following prices will show. 18 cows fetching from £l2 to £l9, the majoritv selling at £ll 10s. £l2, £l3, £l4, £l4, and £ls, averaging £l3 2s. Heifers in calf, £l2 2s 6d to £l4; empty heifers (young), £5 17s 6d to £8; eight steers, £l4 2s 6d; nine steers, £11; 11 steers, £9; 13 steers (18 months), £7 2s 6d; 15 calves, £3 3s. Horses, harness, implements, etc., realised capital prices.

Victorian 4*s 96J 961 86| Victorian 8-Vs 85J Victorian 3i's * 70 70| Victorian 3's 62 631 New South Wale3 4's ... 82J 821 Now South Wales 3i'a New South Wales 3i's t 99J 991 69J eo| New South Wales 3'a ... 703 70} Queensland 4's »l| 91 Queensland 3i'a 833 88J Queensland 3's 62 631 New Zealand 4's 869 86} New Zealand 3i's 72i 72S New Zealand 3's 62J C2^ South Australian 3i'a ... 721 m South Australian 3's ..-. 603 669 Tasmanian 3J'a 71* 72$ Tasmanian 3's 65 65 West Australian 31'a ... n 743 .West Australian 3's 69 69 1-5 * 1921-6 currency. 11920-30 currency.