DUNEDIN MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3972, 29 April 1930, Page 17

DUNEDIN MARKETS.

WHEAT, OATS, BTC. Friday Evening. The prolonged spell of dry weather is facilitating threshing operations and offerings of wheat are being made freely. Except in occasional cases where wheat has been threshed out of stook before it has been thoroughly conditioned, the great bulk of the deliveries has been of good milling quality, and no difficulty is being experienced in disposing of the Otago crop to millers. A possible exception is in the case of Velvet, which, owing to millers’ requirements of this variety being less in proporton to their purchases of other varieties, is slow of sale at the fixed pool price. Where they have not already sufficient stocks of Velvet on hand, millers are showing a preference for Canterbury Velvet instead of the Otago-grown wheat. In many cases Hunters’ price is being offered and farmers generally are accepting. There is no change in market values and millers are paying pool prices for both free and pool wheat. These are 6s 7d per bushel, f.0.b., Dunedin, for Velvet, 6s 5d for Hunters, and 6s 3d for Tuscan, sacks extra. For the reason mentioned above the quotation for Velvet is largely nominal. Owing to the comparatively small proportion of rejections, fowl wheat is in fairly short supply and any available lines are readily disposed of to merchants at the rifling price, which is 6s per bushel, ex truck, sacks extra. Millers’ prices of flour, etc., are as follow:— Flour: 2001 b, £l6 15s; 100’s, £l7 15s; 50’s, £18; 25’s, £lB 10s. Bran, £8 per ton. Pollard. £8 per ton. Oatmeal, 2001 b, £24 10s; 25’s, £25 10s. Millers are again purchasing oats freely and prices for heavy oats of milling quality have firmed slightly. Current values to farmers are 3s 2d per bushel, sacks extra, on trucks, according to weight and railage. It is noticeable this season that tlie bulk of the oats offering is of milling quality, and some splendid samples have been offering recently. The shipping demand remains quiet with very little business passing for prompt delivery. On a shipping basis ordinary A Gartons are worth 3s Id, on trucks, with B’s 2s lid, with slightly more obtainable in the case of handy loading stations. With the veryheavy yields obtained this season, there are likely to be ample supplies of oats available, and if it were not for the prolonged dry weather which has made farmers in some districts refrain from threshing in case of a shortage of feed later in the season, there would be a pronounced over-supply of oats on the market. Only prime quality chaff is in any demand at present, and this is selling at £5 5s per ton. ex truck. There is no oversupply, but nowadays it takes very little chaff to suffice local feeders’ requirements. Some shipping has been done to northern ports, but not to any great extent, as farmers generally are not sellers at prices which will allow of local merchants competing with Blenheim and Canterbury. Cutting has not yet become general, and it is apparent that many growers, particularly in the very dry districts, will refrain from chaffing their crops until the weather breaks and supplies of feed for their stock are assured.

Consignments of potatoes are arriving freely- and there was a considerable accumulation on brokers’ sidings after the Easter holidays. Merchants are now commencing to take delivery of their forward purchases with the result that a large proportion of the consignments coming to hand have had to be taken into store. Sales are being made slowly at £5 5s per ton. ex truck, for choice quality. Growers in South Otago have now commenced digging in earnest and from now on supplies are likely to be heavy. The low quotations from Canterbury tend to have a depressing effect upon the local market, and merchants are not inclined to buy in any- quantity at present. The seed market continues quiet, and the dry weather, along with the general depression in farming circles, has resulted in considerably less activity in autumn sowing than usual, with a corresponding reduced demand for seeds. There is by no means the usual demand from the North Island for ryegrass, and the high prices which were ruling for farmers’ lines early in the season are no longer obtainable. The demand for Brown Top has also fallen off considerably. The value of this seed is governed largely bythe American demand, but the recent imposition of a prohibitive duty on this seed by- America has caused merchants to cease buying in the meantime. Should the result of this duty mean that the outlet for the New Zealand crop is to depend upon local consumption, there is no doubt that values will fall very considerably. Produce lines are quoted wholesale as follow:— Chaff: Prime quality, £5 5s per ton, ex truck. Potatoes: Choice, £5 5s per ton, ex truck. Eggs: Stamped, 2s 6d to 2s 7d case, 2s 4d to 2s sd. Dairy butter: Milled bulk. Is Id; pats, is Id. Bacon, Is 3d per lb. Hams: Ordinary, Is 3d; boneless. Is 5d per lb. Onions: Canterbury, 5s 6d per cwt. FRUIT REPORT.

Large supplies of apples are now coming forward, and the market is a little easier. Inferior lots are still in over supply, and many lines are hard to quiet. Some nice Stunners have come to hand from Blenheim, and have been readily taken up. Cox’s Orange are in short supply, and are in keen demand. Cooking apples are plentiful, and prices are easier. A shipment of Samoan bananas reached Dunedin direct from Samoa, ex Maui Pomare on Tuesday, and opened up in splendid condition. _ The local price was fixed at 265, and this seemed to meet the approval of both fruiterers and shippers. The Niue Island-grown were not so satisfactory, and a large quantity had to be re-packed The quantity for the local market was 1600 cases of Samoan and 750 of Niue Island. The shipment has all been taken up, and it will not be long before the market is again bare.The next shipment will arrive in about six weeks’ time, the first port of call being Lyttelton.

Oranges are in good supply, and have only a fair demand. A / ew °f Coe’s late red plums are still offering, and meet with a good demand. Grapes are in shorter supply, and prices arc somewhat firmer. Pears have been in heavy supply, and prices are low. A firming tendency, however, was shown towards the end of th* WOOK.

The tomato market has shown a sharn advance, high prices being obtained foi both Central and Christchurch-grown Ths demand, however, is mainly for good, sound, well-coloured lines. Local hot* house have also advanced in price. leaches have been in good supply, and prices are low for this time of the year. leas have been offering in good supply. Alany lines have now been frosted, arid he quality is not as good as previously, in len i ai ? (I butter beans have a better demand, and prices are a little firmer are lard £ make” ° VCr ' SU Cauliflower are offering in small quantities, but only choice lots are saleable. Choice cabbage have improved a little in price.

Other vegetables are in fair supply, and have a normal demand. Wholesale prices are as follow: — .tipples: Cox s Orange Pippins, 10s to 14.-1, according to quality; Worcester Pearmam and Jonathans, 6s to 7s; Delicious, is to 9s; cookers, 4s to 6s Bananas: Samoan, green. 26s per case: Niue Island, 22s 6d per case Oranges: American navels. 40s to 455; Island repacks, to 255. ’ Lemons: Californians, 45s to 50s per Plums; Cases, 4s to 6s 6d. Grapes: Choice. Is 3d to Is 6d per lb. Dessert pears, 2s to 3s per half-case; cooking pears, 2s to 2s 6d per half-case. Quinces. 2d to 3d per lb. Christchurch tomatoes: Choice, 4d to id, Central Otago. 4s to 10d;'other 2d to 3d; local hothouse, 9d to ca.^e° rth Island passion fruit, Gs to 7s per . Peaches: Choice. 21d to 3ld per lb in crates; cases, 3s 6d to 4s" Australian grapes, 24s per case. -potatoes, 5s to 6s per cwt. Green peas, 2d to 3d. Broad beans. I’d to 2d per lb I'rench beans and butter beans, 4d tc od per lb. Cauliflowers: Choice, to 7s per sackothers, Is to 4s. ’ Cabbage 2s to 3s 6d per sack. \ egetable marrows, 6s to 7s per sack. Lettuce: Choice, to Is per dozen; others unsaleable.

New carrots, to Is per dozen bunches. Celery, 6d to 9d per bundle of four heads.

MERCHANDISE MARKET. . . Saturday Morning. Ihe Waipiata is due with sugar to-day. Inis will be the first shipment at the price as reduced by 10s per ton.’ Advice has been received from Colombo that various grades of tea show an increase of over 2d per lb as a result of the increased rate of exchange. The Tasmania brought a’'considerable quantity of fine and coarse salt. The Huntingdon, now on the coast, will bring a further supply. This article also shows an increased price owing to the rise in exchange.

Cable advice has been received that Jordan almonds have advanced in price and the landing price will be in the vicinity of 4d per lb higher than the rates recently ruling. Chinese* ginger is reported to have risen in price. The next shipment to arrive will carry the higher cost. A parcel of Lima beans which came to hand ex lonic has been rapidly disposed of by merchants, as no beans had been on the market since last October. The wholesale market is again short of supplies Symington’s soups in practically all varieties were landed ex lonic. Following on the report of the increased price of coconut, a parcel just landed is being quoted at Id per lb higher than prices recently ruling. The extra exchange on practically all imported lines is now making costs higher by from 5 per cent to 10 per cent., and merchants feel compelled to pass this on. 1 ats of honey which have been inquired tor by grocers for some time are now available.