THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 14

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. As lie result of recent negotiations, the Victorian Wheat Commission has disposed of an additional 17,000 tons of second quality wheat to Japan. . The price obtained is 53 74d, f.o.b:, and the total of this class of wheat sold to Japan at the above price now aggregates 37,500 tons. The president of the United States Grain Corporation, m recent speeches regarding food prices, stated that he recognised as » fair and just rational policy, that domestic consumers of flour in America should not pay more for their flour than the price concurrently accepted for the sale of surplus wheat abroad, but the expectation that lower food prices would immediately follow the armistice was disappearing rapidly, and the world’s need, present and prospective, was such that lower food prices could not be looked for immediately. Russia, Rumania, and India formerly contributed 1 300,000,000 bushels of bread grain annually, also 350,000,000 bushels of feed grain, but none of these countries oculd be expected to resume their exports next season. The acreage of wheat and rye in Germany was fairly established at 84 per cent, of the normal. Every one of the Allied countries had a reduced wheat acreage, and with the great vacuum of Central Europe thrown open there was little expectation, even if America secured a crop equal to the present promise, that there would be any burdensome surplus. The president also emphasised the' fact that the United) States had been living from hand-to-mouth between harvests, and it was to be considered whether out of this year’s harvest there should not be created a national reserve of wheat to provide supplies against possible unfavourable crops another year. A few lines of wheat are arriving on the local market. Millers have ample stocks on hand, and are therefore to certify that lined now available in the country are required for immediate gristing. These will have to be held until the railway restrictions ara relaxed. Fowl wheat is in good demand, and is selling at 6a per bushel, sacks extra, ex store, Milling Wheat. —According to Gov-

eminent prices: South' Island, Gs Bd, f.0.b., sacks extra (plus IJd brokerage and Government commission); North Island, approximately equivalent to 7s (plus lid brokerage and Government commission). Prices of millers’ lines are as follow: Flour, £l4 10s; bran, £6 10s; pollard, £8 10a; pearl barley, £25; oatmeal, £26. Growers of oats continue to ask 4s to 4a Id on trucks, sacks extra, at country sidings, . but occasionally a weak holder will accept jSs lOd per bushel. These last-named lines I are taken up by local millers. Tine market remains firm, with little business passing 1 , but North Island merchants are showing more intetest. They are, however* not proI pared to pay the prices asked—4s sd, f.0.b., sacks in, for B’e, and 4s 7d for A’s. A goodl demand exists ■ for seed oat*. Growers are not having any difficulty 1 in securing their requirements. A keen demand exists for all lines ol grass seed, owing to keen local and oversea* inquiries. Prices are very firm. PRODUCE REPORT. Consignments of chaff are still arriving in fair quantities from the country, and, owing to feeders being fully stocked, it is difficult to make sales. The full value for good quality is £7 per ton, sacks extra. Medium and poor chafe is in over supply, and a* buyers are scarce lines of this quality have to be stored, and sold from store at price® ranging from £5 to £6 5s pier ton, socks extra. Supplies of potatoes from the south are practically exhausted, and the local market is securing its requ ireme nts Jicm Canterbury, where there is also a good Slipping demand. Good quality is to-day worth £lO to £lO 10* per ton, sacks included. A number of consignments from the north have had to be picked over, as they were showing signs ol ' frost. Stocks of oaten and wheaten straw are light, and sales are being effected at £3 10« for wheaten and £4 for oaten, on truck*, country sidings. , Prices for eggs have fallen heavily during the week. Supplies are plentiful, and the market is very weak. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Fowl wheat, 6s pier bushel (sacks extra). -Potatoes, £lO to £lO 10s, ex store, Dunedin, ; for prime quality. 1 Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf, £7; medium l and poor quality, £6 to £6 6e. Onions, to 18s pier cwt. Oaten, straw, £4; wheaten, £3 10b. i ' Eggs.—Stampied, Is 6d; ordinary, Is fid. _ Butter —Milled, hulk, best. Is fid to 1* " Sid; separator pats, to Is 6d. Margarine, la Id per lb. Pigs.—Baconers, 9d per lb; , porkers, 9d. Bacon.—Bocal ro)ls. Is 3Jd per lb; ham*; ■ la 2&d; local ham rolls, le 4d to Is 4Jd. FRUIT REPORT. / j Business has been, fairly busy in the fruit 1 marts during the week. Supplies of apple* have been heavier. Prime apples meet; with a ready demand, but medium sorts are difficult to quit. The prices for Nelsons arc , easier. American oranges and lemons, ex th* Moana, arrived by the John and the Putiki, and met a keen sale. Oranges realised from 50s to 60s pier double case. The email quan- , tity of lemons had to be “ rationed ” amongst : the retailers. ! A small line of Island oranges, repacked at Wellington, realised 30s to, 355. | Advices received from Auckland stat* | that a quantity of bananae will be sent by ■ the Te Anau to Lyttelton, and will be railed thence to Dunedin. A few Auckland-grown, cucumbers” hav* [ made their appearance on the local market, i Supplies of vegetables have been on tb* I light side, and prices are firm. Prices for rhubarb have advanced. ■ Current wholesale prices are as follow; j Apples.—Delicious, firsts, to 18s pier case; ; Rokewooda, 13s 3d to 14s; Sturmers, 15a j ! cookers, 2Jd to 3d pier lb for prime; other*. IJd to 2d ner lb. i Oranges.—Boormans for marmalade, 17s to ■ 18s 6d pier case; American Valencias to 60* ‘ pier double case; Islands,. 30s to 355. i Bananas, 24s to 27s pier case, ripe. Cabbages, 4s to 7a per dozen, sacks, best, i to 9s; others, 2s to ss. Cauliflowers: ‘Medium, ; 4s to, 6s per dozen; prime, 8s to 10s pier 1 sack. " Carrots, Is to Is 6d pier dozen ‘ ) bunches; • small bags, to 3s 6d per bag; sack*, i £7 to £7 10s peu ton.' Swedes, 2s 6d to 4m per bag; sacks, 4s 6d to ss. Potatoes.— Local, Us per cwt. Rhubarb, IOJd to la per lb. Celery, Is to Is 6d per bundle for best; medium, 8d to lOd. Brussels sprouts, 7s to 9s 6d p>er box. Parsnipis, 2s to 3s per case; Ss 6d to 5* pier bag; 14s to 15a pier Back. , MERCHANDISE MARKET. A shipment of Symington’s soups will arrive by the Matatua, now on the coast. ■Cable advice has been received from London notifying a substantial increase in the prioe\ of Neave’s food. r The Waimatci, which ia due to reach hero on Thursday,, ia bringing supplies of Golden i Eagle and Diadem plug tobaccos. 1 The local make of stearine candles has been I advanced by Id per lb, and wax candles by Id pier lb. Clothes pegs are in short supply, and are, now quoted at 12s 6d per box. , Tinned fruits are very scarce, and price* have advanced considerably. Advices from San Francisco show a continued upward j trend in prices. ! It is understood that some contracts have been made with Australian manufacturers for supplies of canned fruits. Landed prices will bo very high. I In order, to supply the market with Bell’* : wax vestas the agents have arranged for a shipment to be made from the London factory to Dunedin direct. This action, it ia hoped, will relieve the extreme shortage that has been in evidence over the pa<3t two years. , Colonial starch is in very short supply. One of tho local factories has had to close ; down owing to the lack of the raw material Melhuish’s sauce has been advanced—Wori cester- quarts and pints by 6d pier dozen, i tomato quarts and pints by Is. j Both ground and whole rice is very scarce. ; Nortons advise that they are unable to procure drums for their egg preservative, and are therefore unable to offer any more of j this pack. There are, however, plentiful sup- | plies of 41b tins. i A shipment of Ivelcon (for making beef tea) i is due to arrive ex Matatua. This line baa been off the market for months. I Coleman’s mustard, is short on I the market.