BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 24

BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE.

WHEAT, OATS, ETC. The broken weather of on th aUS %k ht t ,e j ela ? in Crashing bJt, on the other hand, there is no lack of offerings. Millers, however, are not very anxious to operate, in the meantime, for either red chaff or Tuscan, but are prepared to purchase Velvet. Canterbury prices for red chaff have shown a weakening. These are now round about 6s. but a sale has been reported at 5s 9d. Sales of Tuscan have been reported at .as low as 5s 3d, on trucks, country sidings. Farmers are not keen to accept these prices, and as a result few sales are going through. So far as the Otago district is concerned few lines have been on offer. Some of the wheat thrashed had already been sold for forward delivery, and where the quality is sound millers are taking delivery. In some cases this, wheat is showing signs of smut and it is being rejected. There appears to be more smut in the wheat this year than usual, probably as a result of

the unfavourable weather conditions at the beginning of the season. . The wheat being thrashed in the Taieri is not turning out as well as was anticipated. Many of the crops looked as if they were going to yield well, but although there was a big bulk of straw the returns of wheat are poor. Ihe deniana tor fowl wheat is on the quiet side. Both merchants and poultry keepers are reluctant to operate, as they consider that prices will ease. The nominal value to-day is is, ex store, but at th.s price small lines only can be placed. Millers’ prices for flour etc. are now as follows: —

F lou L £l7 10s; 100’s, £lB 10s; 50 s, £lB 15s; 25’s, £l9 ss. Bran, £7 per ton. Pollard, £8 10s. Oatmeal, 25’s, £2l; 200’s, £2O. Offerings of oats have been on the light side, but once thrashing commences again after the rain it is expected that supplies will again be plentiful. Buyers are scarce as there is no outlet for oats. The nominal value for A’s is 2s 9d, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings, and 2s 6d for B’s. Sales of A’s have been reported from Canterbury ports at 3s sd, f.0.b.. s.i., and B’s at 3s 2d.

Heavier consignments of chaff have been arriving on the local market. There is no great demand, and sales are hard to effect. Best quality is worth £5 ss, sacks extra, on truck. Mediun and poor quality is slow of sale in view of the plentiful supply of good quality. Reports from the north show that the supplies of chaff are plentiful, for the shipping trade, with £5, f.0.b., s.i., as the chief quotation. This price will prevent any shipment from this port during the season, as its equivalent on trucks, country sidings, is only £3 per ton, and growers are not prepared to accept such a value. Supplies of potatoes have been increasing, and the market is again over supplied. The quality of some of the potatoes is not of the best, and sales have to be made quickly. The current quotation is now £5 5s to £5 10s, sacks included, ex truck. In some instances blight has made its appearance in the tubers, and these lines are also being placed as expeditiously as possible.

Offerings of ryegrass are increasing, and sales of good clean lines have been made at 3s 6d per bushel, on trucks, country sid’» gs. This price has been paid for seed for prompt delivery, as there is a good demand from the North Island for immediate shipment. The market for other lines of seed is on the quiet side. There are large offerings of dogstail, with merchants disinclined to operate. The cocksfoot market remains steady. «Produce lines are quoted wholesale as follows :—

Chaff, £5 to £5 5s per ton, ex trucks, for best quality. Potatoes, £5 5s to £5 10s per ton. Eggs: Stamped, 2s; case, Is lid. Dairy butter: Milled- bulk, Is Id; pats, Is. The market could do with larger supplies. Bacon, Is per lb. Hams, Is 2d lb; boneless, Is 4d. Onions: Canterbury onions, 12s per cwt. Eggs have advanced 2d per dozen. FRUIT REPORT. Dessert apples are coming forward more freely. Nelson and Marlborough growers are sending Cox’s orange pippins and Jonathans. Cookers are also in better supply. Fairly large quantities of pears, chiefly Bon Chretians—are now available. Plums are in full supply. Dessert, in crates, have the most demand. A few lots of well-grown blackberries from Otago Central have been sold in the marts. These are from cultivated bushes. The ordinary grown are not yet available in any quantity. Peaches are not ove? plentiful. The free stone varieties are now reaching the marts. The prices for crates has been irregular. Nectarines were in better supply towards the end of the week. Supplies of greengages have eased off. Damsons are inquired for, but odd cases only are reaching the market. Raspberries remain firm in price. Supplies have slackened off considerably. A small line of American sunkist oranges arrived during the week, and-were quickly disposed of. A further supply is expected next week. Jam melons are slow of sale. A few cases of pines have arrived from Queensland, and wLI be sold by auction this morning Supplies of tomatoes have increased. These meet a good demand, with the easing of prices Cucumbers, both outside and hot house grown, are slow of sale. Supplies of grapes have increased and prices have fallen. A shipment of Fiji bananas is expected here on Monday. A few cases of Rarotongan grown will be available towards the end of next week. Lemons are slow of sale. Vegetable marrows, peas, beans, and choice lettuce have a good sale. The demand for other vegetables remains normal. Current wholesale prices are as follows: — Apples: Gravenstein and Worcester nearmains, 8s 6d to 9s 6d per case; Cox’s orange, Ws 6d to 12s 6d; Jonathan, 9s to 10s; cookers, 5s 6d to 7s. Grapes, Is 6d to 2s per lb. Peaches: Choice. 4d to 6d per lb in crates; cases, 4s 6d to 5s 6d. Pears: Bon Chretians, 3s to 3s 6d per half-case; other sorts, 2s 6d. Bananas: Ripe. 32s 6d to 35s per case. Blackberries, lOd per lb. Nectarines: Choice, in crates, 4d to 6d per lb; cases, 4s 6d to ss. Grcen^an-cs: Choice, 3d to 4d per lb; others, 2£d. Oranges: American, 37s 6d to 40s per double case. Plums: Dessert, in crates, 3d to 4d per Lbj cocking. IJd to 2d. Lemons: American, 60s per double case. Raspberries, 9s to 10s per bucket. Rhubarb. Id per lb. Beetroot, 9d per dozen. Swedes, Is to 2s per case. Vegetable marrows, Id to l))d per lb. Potatoes, to 6s 6d per cwt. Peas, lid to 2d per lb. Cauliflowers: Choice, 4s per sack; others Is to 2s. Christchurch tomatoes, 3d to 4d: seconds 3d to 4d; small and rough, to 2d;’ local, to 9d; Nelson, 5s per case. ’ Cabbage, 2s to 3s per sack. Spring onions, 3d to 4d per bundle of six bunches. White turnips, 6d per dozen bundles.

Ib French and runner beans, lid to 3d per Australian melons, 12 s to 14s per cwt. Carrots, 9d per dozen bundles; 6s to 7s per cwt. MERCHANDISE MARKET. The Manuka, from Melbourne, brought transhipments of tea, ex a steamer from Colombo. Amongst other merchandise lines brought by this steamer were Chinese walnuts, preserved ginger, Barcelona nuts, craft cheese, and Sicily almonds. K. -nd Oak Bartlett pears, 2Jlb tins, have been reduced in price. The Wingatui discharged a cargo of sugar last week. The next sugar boat is the Kurow. due about the middle of the week. The Waikawa, from San Francisco, due here on March 20, has on board a small supply of Sockeye salmon, ones and halves, Galifornian muscatels, and Canadian craft paper. The hold-up of the Manuka will mean a delay in the landing of certain lines now awaiting shipment from Melbourne. A shipment of Maconochie’s dried sprats has reached the market. Advice from London states that the prices for dates are showing a firmer tendency. Shipments of stone dates have just come forward, with varying quotations. A line of Karswood poultry spice has a-rived from London. The market is now well supplied with walnut meat. Stocks of all kinds of currants are short in wholesale hands. A 2 e , v line of G.P. flakes, similar to corn flakes, is quoted at 8s 6d per dozen eartons. Supplies of Union fine sale, Imperial coarse, and Black Horse coarse are due to arrive ex the Somerset. The price of medium Nugget boot polish has been reduced to 54s per gross. The prices of the other sizes are unchanged .„ A “? w “ ne of Glaxo, “ prescription," in bas been placed on the market at 27s 6d per dozen. The prices of cream of tartar, tartaric acid, and citric acid continue very firm.