BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 21

BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE.

WHEAT, OATS, ETC. ; . Friday evening. Although the wheat market is reported to be firm in Canterbury local millers do not show any anxiety to operate, as the report is current that there is to be a drop in the price of Australian flour. Should the drop take place, there will have to be a corresponding drop in the price of New Zealand manufactured flour, and this, of course, must affect the prices for wheat. In the meantime, there is a fair demand from poultry feeders, and it is sufficient to absorb practically all the local offerings of milling wheat. The present value of fowl wheat is 6s 3d per bushel, sacks extra, ex store. Millers are not prepared to pay more than 6s per bushel, sacks extra, for Tuscan, with relatively higher prices for red chaff and velvet.

The sowing of wheat for the coming season had commenced, there being a fairly strong demand for seed lines. The wet weather has, however, stopped sowing operations in the meantime. Millers’ prices are as follow:— Flour: 2001 b. £l7 ss; 100’s £18: 50’s, £lB ss; 25’s. £lB 15s. Bran, £5 10s per ton. Pollard, £7 ss. Oatmeal: 25’s. £l9; 200’s, £lB. Bran has beep reduced £1 per ion and pollard 10s per ton. The quietness in the oat market continues. Merchants in the North Island and in Australia arc not operating to any extent, and holders of oats are content to mark time. Millers arc also off the market. The demand locally has been affected this year by the cutting war which has been taking place in oatmeal. Millers state that the demand for oatmeal has been easing off for some time, and that this has caused the present keen competition to secure business. There are practically no oats offering from growers, and the bulk of the lines for sale are held by merchants. A’s are worth about 2s 6d on trucks, country sidings, and B’s 2s 2d. Undergrade oats are valued from Is lOd to 2s per bushel, on trucks, according to quality. Consignments of chaff have been increasing. and stocks are now equal to the demand. The wet weather will, however, delay cutting, and this should prevent a drop in prices. Good quality oaten sheaf' is worth round about £5 5s per ton ; sacks extra, ex truck. Medium and poor quality is being asked for more freely at £3 10s to £4 10s per ton, sacks extra, according to quality. In the shipping market business generally is quiet..., Blenheim is quoting £5 10s to £5 12s 6d, f.0.b., s.i., while Canterbury merchants are asking £5 7s 6d per ton. These prices prevent competition from this port. The potato market is quiet. Although northern shipping prices have dropped, there has not been a corresponding drop in prices for supplies from Canterbury to this market. Canterbury is quoting £1 10s per ton, sacks included, on trucks. This price is equivalent to about £5 ss, 'acks included, ex truck, Dunedin. Merchants arc not keen to operate. Local supplies arc about exhausted, but Canterbury consignments coming forward are mostly going into store. awaiting a demand.

It is usual at this time of the year for a demand to set in for seeds for spring sowing. The demand, however, is later this year, but greater business is expected at the beginning of next month. There is no overseas demand. A cablegram from London states that merchants there are •waiting to see what effect the wet weather being experienced will have on the English crops. So far this has not been, serious enough to affect sales, but the position depends on the condition in which the English seed harvest will be saved.

Produce lines are quoted wholesale as follows :—

Chaff, £5 5s per ton, ex truck, for best quality. Potatoes: Ton lots, '£s ss, ex truck. Eggs: Stamped, 2s; case, Is lOd to Is Hd.

Dairy Butter: Milled bulk, Is 2d to Is 3d; pats. Is Id to Is 2d. Bacon, Is Id per lb. Hams, Is 2d per lb; boneless, Is 3d. Canterbury onions, 6s 6d per cwt. Eggs are coming in more plentifully, and prices have dropped 6d a dozen. FRUIT REPORT.

Business has been quiet in the fruit marts during the week. The principal demand has been for cooking apples. Desserts are inclined to firm in price, large, highlycoloured Delicious being most inquired for. Pears are arriving from Canterbury c ool stores.

Poorman oranges arc in short supply this season and prices are firmer. A strong demand exists for Island oranges. The last shipment to reach Auckland arrived in bad order, and a few cases only were forwarded to this market. The next shipment is due about August 7. Lemons are in short supply, and prices have firmed considerably. Navels and Californian Valencias have a fair inquiry. Supplies of vegetables have been on the short side. Parsnips are wanted, and choice cabbages and cauliflowers have a ready sale. Celery, sprouts, and spinach have a fair inquiry. Carrots and swedes arc plentiful. — Current wholesale prices are ns follows: — Apples: Delicious, 10s to 12s per case; Jonathans, 7s to 8s; Cleopatras, 7s 6d to 8s 6d; prime cookers, 7s; inferior dessert and cooking, 3s to 4s. Bananas: Ripe, 25s per case. Pears: Dessert. 2d to 3d per lb.

Lemons: Californian, 50s per double case; Auckland, 22s 6d to 255; Australian, 22s 6d to 255.

Oranges: Californian, 37s 6d; Australian navels, 22s 6d; Poorman, 15s per case. Potatoes, 6s 6d to 7s per cwt. Carrots, 4s to 4s 6d per cental bag. Cauliflowers, 14s to 16s per sack (choice only); others, 8s to 12s. Parsnips, 4s (o 4s 6d per case. Cabbage: Choice, to 6s 6d per sack; others, 2s to 3s; loose, 4s to- 10s per dozen. Onions, 6s per cental bag. Celery, 9d to Is per bundle of three heads. Artichokes, 2d per lb.

Lettuce: Choice, Is 6d to 2s {>er dozen; medium and poor, unsaleable. MERCHANDISE MARKET. The cheese market is showing a considerably firmer- tone. Tho next sugar boat is the Waipiata, due here on August 5. White pepper continues to firm in price. All locally manufactured starches have been reduced in price. The sago and tapioca market shows a considerable advance in price. The wholesale market is again bare of shelled walnuts. The next shipment is not duo till October. Singapore pineapples show an increase on the opening rates of last season. Supplies of prunes, cornflour, Crossfield’s waterglass, M'Clinton’s barilla soaps, etc., are, on board the Cambridge. , Vitor is now being packed in the large size only. Owing to heavy purchases from Ceylon, imports of tea into Australia for May wore aproximately 500,0001 b in excess of those for May last year, the total at 3,407,6601 b comparing with 2,930.4901 b. Ceylon provided 1,750,6451 b, India 110.3191 b, China 47,9421 b, and Dutch East Indies 1,491,5081 b. A substantial expansion in imports is disclosed for the 11 months ended May 31, the volume of 48,075,0221 b contrasting with 43,523,0751 b. The increase has been due to the larger supplies of Ceylon and Indian teas coming to hand. Re-exports at 1,220.4111 b, arc some 500,0001 b less (han a year ago. Imports for the 11 months and countries of origin compare with those for the previous two years as follows: —

In a loiter to the London Grocer Mr M. A. O'Callaghan, who for the last two years and a-half has been associated with dairying interests in Argentina, and who formerly was the Commonwealth dairy expert, refers to the question of preservatives in foodstuffs for the British markets. Mr O Callaghan does not approve of the use of boron, but considers that the inclusion of small quantities of sodium benzoate in cream, and of sulphur dioxide in butter, is desirable, and that it would materially help the producers and manufacturers in Australia, as well as sellers of the butter in Great Britain. He states that the Commonwealth authorities permit the use of sulphites in tinned cheese, and that a tenth of the quantity employed for this purpose would be of advantage in the treatment of cream for butter-making in order that the creams may reach central factories in good order. The amount which would be present in the resulting butter would be infinitesimal, as the washing of the butter removed everything but a trace of the preservative used.

The organisations which last season engaged freely in the export of eggs from Australia are at present jubilant at- the high prices which are being paid for eggs in the various capital cities (says the Australasian). In Melbourne quotations are 2s 3d a dozen, compared with Is 8d a dozen last year at this period. The clearance of surplus supplies by means of export, and the consequent lessening of storage operations, has been the chief factor in maintaining eggs at their present price. Although many producers’ organisations incurred heavy losses in the export business last season, they have been encouraged by the stabilisation of the Australian markets to launch an export campaign for the current season on an even more ambitious scale. It is generally estimated in the trade that about 130,000 cases will be sent away this season. One of the largest exporters from Victoria will be the Victorian Egg Producers’ Federation, which expects to ship 10,000 cases, beginning in the first week in August. Contracts to ensure the supply of this quantity have already been signed by members. The association has obtained a promise from a London house of an advance of 16s a long hundred on these eggs. The Suburban Egg Producers’ Association aims at the export of 5000 cases, and is offering an advance of Is 3d a dozen for eggs consigned on behalf of members, and also undertakes to provide export boxes and fillers free of charge. The association is also undertaking to purchase eggs outright, less a 5 per cent, commission. It is offering Is 5d a dozen for eggs of 2oz minimum weight, Is 4d a dozen for IJoz. eggs, and Is 2d a dozen for Ijoz eggs. The shipment of eggs will begin in August, and continue until late in November, the eggs reaching the London market from the last week in September until the new year. According to the figures quoted above, rtn average price of about 21s a long hundred would be needed to cover the expenses of the consignees, as export charges involve between 7d and 8d a dozen. This price is more than the average realised for Australian eggs last year, but those engaged in the industry are hopeful that the trouble in China and the absence of industrial disturbances will contribute to a firmer market in Great Britain. At present the price in London is reported to be about 15s for 120 eggs, or an advance of 3s a long hundred on prices quoted at the beginning of June. The production of eggs in Europe is now at the peak, and the market is expected to be firmer for the rest of the year. Exporters, how-

1924-25. 1925-26. 1926-27. July-May. lb. lb. lb. India ... 4.309,437 5.999.111 8.178,079 Ccvlou ... 13,644.598 13,765.203 17,624,986 China ... 1,966,418 1,145,280 1.554,395 Java ... 25,565,434 22,199,987 20.342,444 Other ... 412,371 413,544 375,208 Total ... 45.898,258 43,523,075 48.075,022 Re-exports 2.992,872 1,770,642 1,220,411