FRUIT REPORT

Otago Witness, Issue 3382, 8 January 1919, Page 12

FRUIT REPORT

Friday evening. Owing to the absence of supplies of apples (which are about finished), oranges, and bananas, there hoe been a brisker demand than usual for cherries and strawberries. Large quantities of tomatoes have arrived during the week from Canterbury, but owing to a keen demand all lines have met with a prompt clearance. Some exceptionally fine cherries have reached the market, from Alexandra and Clyde, andi have brought high prices. A few small-sized apricots from Otago Central realised very fair prices. Cases of peaches have also commenced to come forwards No doubt larger quantities of both these stone fruits will be on the market next week. The demand for new potatoes and peas has dropped off considerably since Christmas, and prices have fallen in sympathy. Current wholesale values are as follow: Apples.—Stunners realised up to 235 ; Pioneers, 14s to 15s.

Cherries, 2s 6d to 2s 9d per lb for choice Central-grown; Waimate-grown, Is 3d to Is 9d, Black currants, 4Jd on stalk, 5d cleaned. Red currants, 5d to 5Jd. Strawberries.—Waimate-gro-wn, Is 8d to le 9d per pottle; Otago Central, to 2s; local, Is 9d to 2s 3d per lb. Hothouse Tomatoes. —Local, to 2s per'lb, Christchurch, la 4d to Is lid. Peaches, 6£d to 7Jd. . Apricots, 5d to 5Jd. . Plums., 8d to 6d. Cabbages,. choice, to 6s per dozen. Cauliflowers, prime, 6s to 8s; medium, 3s to Es per dozen. Parsnips, new season's, Is 6d to Is 9d per dozen. Spring "onions, 6d to 9d per bunch. Radish, 9d to Is per dozen. Lettuce: Choice, Is 6d; good, to Is; medium, 6d to 9d per. dozen. Rhubarb, in cases, 3s 9d to 5s per case. Potatoes.—New potatoes, 3d to 3£d for Peninsula-grown; Forbury, 2|d to 3d; Auckland, 2Jd to 2Jd. Cucumbers, 16s to 20s per dozen for large; medium, 12s to 13s; small, 6s.' Green peas, 2Jd to B£d. Goosebeirries, 2d to 3£d per lb; ripe, 6d to. 8d per lb.

COMMERCIAL CABLEGRAMS.

LONDON, January 1. .Copper: Spot, £112; three months, £BB. Tin: Spot, £235 10s; three months, £229 10s. Other metals unchanged. January 2. Bank of England returns. —Gold coin and bullion, £79,350,000; reserve, £28,236,000; proportion of reserve to liabilities, 11.74 per cent.; notes in circulation, £70,290,000; Government deposits, £26,306,000; other deposits, £214,894,000; Government securities, £124,304,000; other securities, £106,473,000. Discount on short loans, 3J per cent.; three months' bills, 3J per cent. Consols: £59 2s. War Loans: 3£ per cent., £BB 10s; 4 per cent., £94 10s. The following arc the quotations for colonial stocks, as compared with those for the previous week. —

* 1921-6 currency. 11920-30 currency. Butter: A record shipment of 70,000 boxes has been landed! from Argentina! other large shipments are clcee at hand. It is expected that the butteT ration -will be increased by the middle of February. Cheese l The position, is unchanged; supplies are fairly plentiful. Sugar: Granulated, 67s 9d. Wheat and flour: Quiet, quotations unaltered.

Oats: Firm, little offering. La Plata's on. spot are quoted at 63s 6d. Beans and peas: Quiet, at full late rates. , —A. and N.Z. Cable. I :

I THE WHEAT PURCHASE. —_

| ARRANGEMENT OF DETAILS. ! WELLINGTON, January 6. I To-day Cabinet considered the arrange I ment of details connected with the wheat ' purchase. It is understood that there is no material change in the' proposals made a •few weeks ago —that was, 6s 6d per bushel for all good milling grades of wheat. I ■ ' ADVANCES ON BUTTER AND CHEESE. : The Assistant Controller of /the Imperial ; Supplies Department has written to Mr G. A. Lamb (secretary of the South Island Dairy Association) stating that, in answer to the : request from the dairy assosiations, the Im- : perial authorities have approved of the payI ment of advances against butter and cheese after the produce has remained in store for a period of 14 days, instead of 28 days, aa hitherto. SOUTHLAND MARKET REPORT. (From Our Owu Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, January 4. The produce market, both for seeds and cereals, is in a satisfactory state, although I at the moment matters are at a standstill. Merchants are not at all disposed to accept offers for forward business, though speculators' ideas of values would be a very good proposition under normal conditions. There has been no business whatever passing during the last two or three weeks, and as buyers, without exception, will not consider business it is quite impossible to state normal values. Weather conditions, too, continue decidedly I unfavourable, and although the oat crops look j to be in good order, it is much too early I to form any opinion as to the resulting hari vest, as so much depends on the weather for the next two months and during the ensuing harvest. Ryegrass especially is being held for higher values, as advices from other centres are all in the one direction—viz., that heavy weight seed of the new crop will be in the nature of a rarity. As far a& Southland is concerned, judging from the present weather and the near approach of the harvest of ryegrass and Italian, it must be of inferior quality; therefore, holders of last year's seed are firm. During the month chaff has been in over supply and prices have come back to about £6 10s, on trucks, for very prime quality, while lower grades are difficult to dispose of at £6 for fair quality, and down to £5 5s is quoted for somewhat inferior. The hemp market is at an absolute standstill, values nominally being £34 for fair, and £36 for good fair, and I cannot hear of any business passing at these figures.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE SALES. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., report as,follows :—C ate: Stocks are very light, and offerings of late have been small. Any good bright heavy samples, suitable for milling purposes, are readily disposed of on arrival at quotations. The shipping inquiry during the paafc fortnight has been slack. Feedl lines, -which have been offering sparingly,

meet ready sale. We quote: Prime milling to 6s 8d; good to best feed, 5s 3d to 5s 6dt medium to good, 6s to 5s 3d per bushel, sacks extra. Wheat: Practically nothing offering. Potatoes: Supplies of old season's are almost exhausted. The few email consignments of freshly-picked lota that have been coming forward have gone into consumption at prices ranging from £lO to £ls per ton. New season's tubers are now offering in larger .quantities, and prices have eased in consequence. Good locals are fetching from 2Jd to 2|d per lb; others, from 2d to 2Jd per lb. Chaff: The market of late haa been barely supplied, and all consignments have been cleared on arrival at quotations. Bright, heavy oaten sheaf continues in, better demand than medium quality, although the latter quality has been receiving more attention in view of the lighter supplies. We quote: Choice quality, £8 10s to £8 12s 6d; good oaten sheaf, £B. to £8 7s 6d; fair to good, £7 to £7 15s; medium, £6 to £7 per ton, sacks extra. ...

Donald Reid and Co., Ltd., report: —Oate: The demand is chiefly confined to millers purchases, there being little inquiry from shippers. Stocks held locally are very low. Any lot of prime milling coming to hand meet with ready sale. We quote: Prim© milling, 5s 8d; good to beet feed, 5s 3d to 5» 6d; inferior to medium, 4s 6d to 5s per bushel, sacks extra. Wheat: A few small consignments, both milling and fowlwheat, have been arriving and meet good demand. Potatoes: There is little inquiry for olql potatoes, but any lots of freshly picked etill have a fair demand. The new season's crop is arriving more freely. We quote: Prime freshly-picked old potatoes, £lO to £ls; freshly-dug new season's potatoes (locally grown), 2£d to 2|d per lb; others, 2d to 2£d. Chaff: There is good demand for prime chaff. Consignments have not been coming forward so freely lately. The market at present is barely supplied, and any lots arriving meet with prompt sale. We quote: Best oaten sheaf, £8 to £8 7s 6d; choice, £8 10s to £8 12s 6d .per ton, bag* extra. '"'

Dec. 26. Jan. 2 Commonwealth 5i's ... 100i 99 Commonwealth 5J ... 100 1003 "Victorian 4's ... 98 98 Victorian 3's ... 744 74 Victorian 34's * ... 894 89| Viotorian 3's ... m 66§ New South Wales 4's ... ui 85J New South Wales 8J*8 t ... ... 724 724 New South Wales 3's ... 76} 75| Queensland 4's ... 80 94J Queensland 34's ..." 90 90 Queensland S's ... 66J 65 New Zealand 4's ... 89J 89J New Zealand 3i's ... 77 77i New Zealand 3's ... 683 69 South Australian 3J's ... 77J 7 I* South Australian 3's ... 58| 58* Taemanian 3£'s ... 77J 77J Tasmanian 3'a ... 65 69 West Australian Si's ...'"784 79* West Australian 3's ... 73J 76?