CANTERBURY GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 11

CANTERBURY GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

(Lyttelton Times, January 11.) The unseasonable' weather experienced' durincr the past month has had a decided retarding effoot upon the new season's crops, and although it is generally well into January before much business is d° ne hn. the grain market, it will be the middle of February before any transactions of any consequence take olace this season. Inquiries yesterday elicited the fact that matters are still at a standstill. A Wellington writer, dealing with the produce market, says that business in old oats is reported to be quiet. Marlborough lias sown oats much heavier than 'usual this year. Barley is reported to have been but sparingly sown in. that district. The production of chaff in the Marlborough district this year is expected to. be very heavy. Fowl wheat is reported as very scarce*

sales having been made at 6s 5d per bushel for very mixed lines, conditions being made in sales for acceptance of inferior lots along with the better quality wheat. The best is .worth possibly Id to lid per bushel more than the lower grade wheat if sold by itself. Peas are reported to be a heavy crop in Marlborough, but the full extent of the damage done by the recent frost has yet to be ascertained. Manawatu and Pukekohe (Auckland) are furnishing most of the new potato requirements. Reports of crops in the Palmerston North district are said to be favourable, but prices are reported to be from £l3 to £l4 per ton. Fair quantities of onions are arriving from Auckland, but tho price is expected to ease on the arrival of a large shipment from Melbourne. Maize is very scarce, .Gisborne quoting 8s 6d . per bushel. Were shipping available it is estimated that Australian maize' could fte landed here at 7s 6d per bushel. The following aro the prices paid to farmers at country stations, free of commission, sacks extra, except where otherwise stated:— Wheat. —Milling wheat, Government price ; South Island, 6s f .0.b.; North Island, 4d. extra Oats.—Seed Algerians 4s 9d to ss, feed Algerians, 4s to 4s sd; milling Gartons, 5s 3d; feed Gartons, 4s 6d to 4s 9d; seed Duns, 5s to 5s 2d: lighter Duns, 4s to 4s sd; Danish, good quality, 4s 6d. Barley.—Prime malting, 6s 3d to 6s 6d; medium, 5s 6d to 6s. Flour.—£ls 10s per ton; 1001 b bags, £l6 ss: 501 b bags, £l6 10s; 251 b bags. £l6 15s. Bran.—Shipping, £5 10s; local, £5 15s per ton. Pollard.—£7 10s per ton. Oatmeal.—2slb bags, £3O per ton; bags, £34 10s per ton. Oatsheaf Chaff.—Bright heavy, £7 to £7 5s nominal. . Cocksfoot.—Undressed, lOd to la 3d per lb; machine dressed. Is 8d to Is 9d. Ryegrass.—Perennial, 4s to 4s 9d; Italian, 4s to 4s 6d (nominal). Clover.—White, Is 9d to Is lOd; red, Is 4d to Is 6d. Peas.—Partridge. 7s; White Ivory, lis to 12s; Bluo Prussian, 15s to 16s; Blue Imperial, 15s 6d to 18s. Scotch Tares.—los 6d to Us. Linseed. —£25 to £26 per ton. Potatoes. —To £l3 per ton. TIMARU MARKET. . Tho wheat crops throughout the district (reports the Timaru correspondent of the Christchurch Press) aro- looking particularly well. They are not so long in the straw as they were last year, but they are well headed. The straw is not 60 sappy as it was last season, and it is not_ thought the crops will go down as they did 12 months ago. Some of the crops are rapidly changing colour, and will be ready for the reaper in about a fortnight. A further shipment of Australian wheat came to hand this week, and it was a particularly good lot. A million bushels of the Government's purchase has now been landed at ports. Thero is a good demand for fowl wheat, but buyers are objecting to pay the_ maximum price of 6s f.o.b. for the quality that is left, Tho outting of oats has started, though it is by no means general. One or two crops are already in stack. The great majo-

rity of the crops aro. looking splendid, and promise to yield heavily. Old -;Oati are worth 5s on trucks. There is a good deal of speculation as to the price at whiph new oats will open, but the concensus of opinion seems to iavour something in the vicinity of 4s 6d. Given, suitable weather, it is expected that the first samples of Algerian oats will be on the market about the end of this month. There is a fairly large area in peas this season, and they are growing well. Some of the garden peas, which are being grown on various farms in areas of several acres, are estimated to yield up to 60 bushels per

acre. The indications are that very little ryegrass seed will bo saved this year. Locally-grown new potatoes now coming on to the market, and are fetching 14s per cwt. Some of the potato crops in the Waimate district have lately been frosted.