CANTERBURY GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 12

CANTERBURY GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

CHEISTCHURCH, April .11.

It is evident that there is a misunderstanding in regard to the amended terms for the purchase of wheat in the regulation that was recently gazetted providing for the riae of Jd per bushel" per month to begin in May. It was stated that the Government brokers would buy good milling wheat _on account of the Government at the prices stated!. This has been interpreted by some of the brokers as well as farmers to mean that the Government is prepared to purchase and pay for wheat irrespective of the quantities that millers are taking from the broker*. The Assistant Wheat Controller states that this is a mistake, and he understands that the Government is only prepared to purchase the surplus there may be at the end of th« season. Farmers who have Tuscan or other varieties of. wheat that the millers do not require are finding a difficulty in disposing of it or in obtaining storage. Much of the storage space is being taken up with oats, which growers have decided to hold in view of the present low state of the market _ and the probable demand there will be for winter feed. The local millers are still purchasing suitable lines of wheat, but are now almost filled up. There is very little doing in oats, and there is a check in forward selling, seeing that growers are not accepting the prices at present offered. It is reported that a large line of Gartons changed hands at 8s Id at a country station, but the grain had to be got rid of.

The oatsheaf chaff market is also dull. .Since the rain this week there has been a little more inquiry for grass seed . for immediate sowing," but so far as purchases from growers are concerned there is no business doing. Marlborough red clover is still being offered on the market, and is meeting with a demand. A few samples of locally grown cowgraes have come forward, and have been sold at la to Is Id.

Potatoes remain at £5 15s to £& at country stations. Linseed is quoted at £ls per ton at countiy stations.

(Lyttelton Times, April 12.) About th. 3 only cereal offering freely is wheat, but very little business has beers transacted. A largo proportion of the loeaj oats have been disposed of, and this fact no doubt accounts for the few lines that* have been offered recently. Values still remain at last week's figuro, though it is possible- that with the Southland crop coming to hand, there will be another, fall. Potatoes came to hand very freely after

Thursday's rain and frost, but the demand has not been good; consequently a decline in price is almost certain. _ The following' are quotations: Wheat.—Milling wheat, Government price. South Island, 6s 6d, f.o.b. North Island, 4d extra. Oats.—Ruakuras, 3s 6d to. 5s 8d; seed Algerians, 3s 6d to 33 9d; feed Algerians, 3s to 3s 3d; milling Gartons, 3s 6d : to 3a 9d; feed Gartons, 3s 4d to 3s 6d; seed Duns, 3s 6d to 3s 9d; Danish (good quality), 3s to 3s 3d. Barley.—Prime malting, 5s 6d to 6s 6d; medium, 5s 6d to 6s. Flour.—£ls per ton: 1001 b bags, £ls 15s; 601 b bags, £l6; 251 b bags, £l6 ss. Bran.—Shipping. £8 10s; local, £8 10s per ton. Pollard.—£7 10s per ton. Oatmeal.—2slb bags, £3O per ton; 71b bags, £34 10s per ton. Oatsheaf Chaff.—Bright heavy, £4- 10a to £4- 15s. , Cocksfoot.—Undressed, 8d to 9d; machine dressed, Is 2d to Is 3d. Ryegrass.—Perennial, 4s to 4s 9d; Italian, 4« to 4s 6d (nominal). ','• Glover.—White, lOd to Is 3d; red. Is 4d to Is 6d. _, . Peas.—Partridge, 4s 6d to ss; White, lis to 12s; Blue Prussian, 15s to 16s; Blue Imperial, 15s 6d to 16s (nominal). Scotch tares, lis to 12s 6d.

Linseed, £l9 to £2O per ton. Potatoes, £5 to 55 10s per ton according to delivery. Onions. £5.