TILE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 15

TILE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. Daily Times Office, Friday Evening. The a nn cun cement that France may net require to import wheat next year indicates the progress that has been made in the wheat areas during the last two years. All Europe has been importing cereals largely during tho process of restoration in the war-devastated districts, but the use of admixtures, such as barley, maize, and rye, lias enabled wheat importations to be reduced. Other countries beside Franco have made good progress, and a feature of the international wheat markets recently was the sale of 240.000 bushels of Danubian wheat to France. The quantity is small, but the fact that the Danube region has reached the stage where export is possible is of importance. To recall pre-war days, wheat shipments from exporting countries of a typical year would bo as follow : Kussia, 160,000,0(10 bushels ; Danube, 56.000,00*) bushels; United States, L20,000,00d bushels; Canada, 96,000,000 bushels; Argentine, 80,000.000 bushels; Australia, 43,000,000 India, 40,000,000 bushels; oilier countries, 8,000,000 bushels; or a total of 608,000,000 bushels. The records for recent seasons show groat increases in the yield of wheat. Thus the United States lias risen to, say, 2-40,000.000 bushels, Canada to 160,000,000 bushels. Argentina to 120,000,000 bushels, while for 1920-21 Hie surplus for North America was estimated at 440,000,000 bushels, Argentina 128,000,000 bushels, Aus- , tralia 112,000,000 bushels, India, 12,090,000 : bushels, and Manchuria. etc., 23,000,000 bushels, or a total of 720,000,000 bushels. . Despite the fact that ILussia at present is i a non-exporter, the surpluses in other exporting countries largely exceed those of a general pre-war year, but wheat is of importance in that the increases in the wheat- . growing countries promise to become peniir.ii- I eat. When llussia and the Danube regain their plaoe as wheat shippers, difficulties may face agriculturists. It may be years before* Russia attains that position. In a cable message received by the Lind ley Walker Co-operative Wheat Company (Melbourne) from its Liverpool agents it is advised that the European wheat yield is eon- j firmed. The Canadian crop movement is 1 good, but “bearish.” The general outlook in regard lo wheat is less promising for importers owing to the dryness in Argentina and Ilia Danube, and a disappointing outturn in the United States. LOCAL MARKETS. Millers are working on their stocks of wheat, and have sufficient to keep them going for the next few weeks. Milling Wheat.—According to Government prices: Tuscan 7s 9|d f.0.b., Hunters ffe o|d, Pearl Rs 3fd. Mi lees' prices are as follow: —Flour, £2l 10s per l<jn ; IDE's, £24; 50's, £23 10s; 25’s, £24. I Iran, £7 per ton. Pollard, £lO. Pearl barley, £lB. Oatmeal, 200's, £22; other quantities'', £23. There is a. good demand, both locally and from the .North Island, for fowl wheat. The quani it v on offer is, however, very small. The Government has stopped granting per-

mils for the importation of Australian wheat. 1 The re-cent advance in the oat market has not been sustained, tire beneficial rains in Otago, Canterbury, and the Nc-rth Island having greatly improved the prospects of the new season’s oat crops. Some merchants j were inclined to speculate in the face of a probable drought, but the position has now been quite altered. The oat market is easier to-diay, and there is ■ practically no business passing. A Gartens are nominally quoted at 3o Sd, f.0.b.5.i., and B’s at Ss 7d. j PRODUCE REPORT. Chaff is meeting a little brisker inquiry. There is a fair amount in store, but these line 3 are being worked off. Only small lots are at present coming in from the country. Prices range round about £5 ss, ex truck, sacks extra, for good quality. Stocks oi potatoes in the local stores are being worked off, and the market is firmer, f.a.q. being worth £3 per ton, ex store, sacks included. Fresh!} ,'-picked are quoted at £t. Eggs are plentiful. Dairy buttor meets a sound demand. The market could do with more consignments. A line of Melbourne onions is clue to -arrive by the Paloona at the beginning of next week. j Current wholesale prices are as follow: — 1 Chaff: Prime, to £5 ss; medium and light, £4 103. i Potatoes: Prime quality, to £t. Eggs: Stamped, Is 6d; plain, Is sd. Dairy butter: Pats, Is 19.1; milled, Is lCd. Melbourne onions, 10s per cwt. Margarine, lOd per lb. Bacon: Rolls, Is 3£d per lb; sides, Is Hams, Is -id. FRUIT REPORT. Business has been very brisk during the week. A line of Rarotongan bananas arrived by the Storm from "Wellington, and met a very keen demand. Another line of bananas —grown in Australia—was brought south by the Katoa. These also met a ready sale. j Transhipments of pines, mandarins, and Valencia oranges, cx Ulimaroa, sold well under the hammer, especially the pines. I The Pal oona, due next week, is expected to bring heavy shipments of navels and common oranges, also a small line of lemons. - A line of Californian oranges arrived during the week, and realised up to 55s per case. Apples are not in great demand at the present. • The first of the season's asparagus has made an appearance in the wholesale marts. Lettuce has sold well during the week, j good heads bringing &3 per dozen. Cauli- | flowers have hardened in price. Choice cabbages are unobtainable. Spinach is selling j freely at high rates. Supplies of rhubarb are heavier, but these meet a very ready sale, and prices continue high. Current wholesale prices are -as follow: Apples: Mostly Stunners coming forward. ; Extra choice, to Its per ca-s-o; prime, to 12a; i medium, 7s 61 to 8s 6d; small, 5s per case; ! cookers, targe size, 7s Gd t-o 8s fid; medium, j 4s t-o 4s 6d ; sma 11, 3s. | Lemons; Californian, 453 to 365; Adelaide, ' 22s to 255; Sydney, 16s; Auckland, 18s fid. | Oranges; Sydney, 24s to 265; mandarins, to 27s Cd ; navels. 24s to 28s. | Passions, 25s to 393. Pines, to 325. Bananas: Australian-grown, 28s to 303 per case; Rarotongan, to 30s; Fiji, to 365. Rarotongan tomatoes, 29s per box. Pears: Choice Winter Coles, to 5d per lb; others, 3d to id. Potatoes: Sacks, 7s 6d to Ss. Table carrots, Is per dozen bunches; 5s to 6s per cwt. i Parsnips, Is per dozen bunches; sacks, 53 to 7s. _ i Cabbages: Best, to 7s 6d ; medium, 3s to 4s pe v sac k ; inf e r i-o r, fid t-o I s pe r sae k. 1 Rhubarb, Is Gd t-o 5s 6d per dozen bunches; ■ loose, 3.Vd t-o 4RI per lb. Cauliflowers: Choice, to Gs per dozen; mocllinin, 2s to is per dozen; sacks, choice, 6s. to 7s; prime, 4s to ss; medium, 2s to 3s. Beet, Is per dozen bundles. Lettuce: Choice, to Gs per dozen; prime, 3s to 4s; small, Is per dozen. Spring onions, ltd to 3d per bundle. Celery, to Is 3d per bundle. Leeks. 3d to 4d per bundle for best; others, lid to 2d. MERCHANDISE MARKET. It is announced by cablegram from Sydney that- the price of rice has been advanced 30s per ton, and that a further advance is immi- j nent. The next supplies for the local market 1 will come by the Wan aka, which is supposed to leave Sydney on Monday or Tuesday. Granose biscuits are out of wholes ale hands until the arrival oi the next Sydney boat. | It is reported that Californian muscatels, which were indented for arrival before Christinas. are not now being shipped, as the whole output has been bought up in America. : Mildura sultanas are short on tHo market, and it is yet uncertain \vh;n the first parcel of Smyrna sultanas will be lo Land —probably about the end of November. A small parcel of dates is on the incoming Corinthic. It is not expected, however, that full supplies will reach li:-re much before Christmas, as owing to the Mediterranean steamer not securing sufficient, cargo for Australasia the cargo offering had to- be taken to London, whence it will be shipped to tho southern markets. The wholesale price today is about lid per lb, with packets at Gs Gd to 7s per dozen. j Quantities of tobaccos and, cigarettes are ; still being cleared from bond, in anticipation j of increased duties. Grocers are also heavily j buying several imported lines for the same reason. Stocks of Sicily a 1 mends in wholesale liandis are very short in the local market. A small line of yellow Three Castles j cigarette tobacco arrived during the week, ' and was at once bought up. j Agents have run short oi stocks of Burmah candles, and it is not known when further supplies will be available. Powdered borax is quoted at 7td per lb. The soiling prioo of menthoiatiun is 13s for gross lots; less quantity. 133 6d. The new price for sugar will probably be announced on November 1.