DUNEDIN MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 19

DUNEDIN MARKETS.

WHEAT, OATS, ETC. Friday Evening. The wheat market continues quiet, with practically no business passing. Prices remain unchanged, with millers showing little interest. The quality of the wheat yet to be thrashed in the country is not expected to be above fowl wheat standard, but the quantity to go through the mill is not very great. The fowl wheat market is firmer, with, however, no alteration in prices. Lines of under-grade wheat, of sound quality, are saleable at 4s lOd per bushel, f.0.b.,

Backs extra, this price being equivalent to 4s 6d, sacks extra, ex store. Inferior fowl wheat, of which there is a fair quantity available, is difficult to sell. Milling prices have remained unchanged throughout the season at 5s 10d, f.0.b., sacks extra, for Tuscan, and 6e for Hunter’s. Some interest is being displayed in the coming season’s crop, and according to reports an attempt is being made to stabilise the market with an equalisation fund. It is considered essential in many quarters that some such scheme should be introduced, otherwise the heavy surplus w’hich is expected will result in very low’ prices to the farmer. The new sliding scale of duties only fixes the maximum price to the grower, and on account of the competition to sell lower prices would naturally follow. The introduction of am equalisation fund would meet this position to some extent. Millers’ prices for flour, ‘.etc.; are as follow:— Flour: 2001 b, £l7 2s 6d; 100’s, £lB 2s 6d; 50’s, £lB 7s 6d; 25’s, £lB 17s 6d. Bran, £5 10s per ton. / Pollard, £6 10s per ton. Oatmeal: 2001 b, £2O; 25’s, £22. Oatmeal (25’s) was reduced by £1 during the week. Although there is a firmer feeling in the oat market, and prices have been expected to advance, there is still no upward movement. Stocks of grade oats are now light in the South Island, but the demand is not sufficient to- cause prices to increase. Where feed oats are required in the North Island merchants are tnelined to operate in under-grade from Southland, where there is still a fair amount of these oats for sale. It is expected that the sowing-out this season will be heavier than last year, and already there is a good demand for seed oats. This demand is expected to absorb the available stocks of grade oats. The present quotations are on a basis of 2s 10jd, f.0.b., 8.i., for A’s, and 2s 7ld for B’s. These prices are equivalent to 2s 3d, - sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings, for heavy A’s, 2s 2d for ordinary A’e. and Is lid to 2s for B’s. The potato market is etill lifelees, with Bales difficult to effect. Only small lots are being disposed of, at prices ranging from £2 to £2 10s per ton for graded quality. Up to the present Canterbury growers have been prepared to accept low figures, and it is quite apparent that there are more than sufficient supplies available in New Zealand to meet requirements. Tubers that are in faulty condition are very difficult to place, and stocks of these are accumulating in the stores.

The demand for chaff is quiet, with business confined to small lots ex the Btore. For this chaff up to £4 10s, sacks extra, is obtainable. Truck lots are hard to place at £4 per ton. Supplies are arriving from both the Canterbury and Otago districts. Farmers are now showing some anxiety to cut their sheaves and send their chaff to the market. The wholesale seed market is still quiet, with practically no business passing. Prices remain unchanged for good quality seeds. Stocks of ryegress with good germination are scarce, but there are heavy supplies of light-weight seed available. Some of this seed is below the standard weight, and is difficult to place. Produce lines are quoted wholesale as follow:— Chaff: Good quality, to £4 10s per ton, ex store, Dunedin, slicks extra. Potatoes: Best quality, to £2 10s per ton. Dairy butter: Milled bulk, Is per lb; separator pats, lid to Is. Bacon, U}d per lb. Ham: Ordinary, lljd; boneless, Is Id per lb. Onions: Melbourne, to 9s per cwt. Eggs: Stamped, Is per dozen; ease. lid. Eggs were reduced in price by 2d per dozen during the week. FRUIT REPORT. • Heavy supplies of apples are coming forward from Central Otago, Canterbury, and the Taieri. Inferior quality are hard to place, and stocks have accumulated in the auction room’s. Choice quality Sturmers have eased a little in price, but there is a good inquiry for choice Delicious. The heaviest shipment of Australian navels this season was landed ex the Wainni. There was a total of 5400 cases for Dunedin. The largest consignment previously this season was 4000. The quality of some of the shipment was excellent, but a fair proportion could have been in better condition. New Zealand Poorman oranges are practically finished. Heavy supplies of Sevilles are, however, arriving from Australia, and are offering at low rates. Australian growers .report that the continued wet weather in New South Wales and Victoria is affecting the keeping quality of the oranges. Regular shipments or Navels are now leaving Australia for Canada, and it is not expected that such heavy shipments will reach the local market for the remainder of the season. Bananas are plentiful, there still being a fairly large carry-over from the Maui Pomare shipment of Samoans. In addition, a fairly large consignment of Rarotongan grown arrived during the week transhipped at Wellington. These were Bold at 12s 6d per case, a price which ■will not leave the shippers with a margin ot profit. A further shipment of Rarotongan bananas is expected next week and the Maui Pomare is due at Lyttelton on September 15 with another cargo of Samoans. The Tofua is expected at Auckland on about the same date with a cargo of Samoan grown. A consignment of Californian granes reached the market during the week. A - small shipment of Australian grown was landed ex the Wainui. The condition of the latter was poor, and low prices had to be accepted. Mandarins are in good supply, and prices are low. A few cases of pears are arriving from Canterbury cool stores, and are meeting a fair demand. ° z The lemon market is a little firmer. A line of Island tomatoes was landed during the week. Cauliflowers are in better supply. Choice cabbage have a good demand, but poor quality are hard to place. Carrots, swedes, and parsnips are in good supply, and prices are low. Wholesale prices are as follow:—

Apples: Delicious—choice 8s fid to 10s per case, others 6s to 8s; Jonathans, Cleopatras, and Sturmers, choice, 5s to 6s fid; cookers, 4s to 6s; small dessert and cooking apples are unsaleable. Bananas: Ripe, £l. Oranges: Australian navels—choice 12s to 14s per case, others 8s 6d to 10s; Sevilles, 7s to 8s; Islands, repacked, 17s. American grapes, to 32s 6d per barrel. Lemons: Australian, 12s to 14s per case.

Pears: Winter Nel is, 3s 6d to 4s 6d per half ease; small, 2s to 3s. Pines, 14s to 15s per case. Mandarins, 10s to 12s. Cauliflowers: Choice, 9s 6d per sack; medium, 5s to 7s; others, 2s to 3s. Cabbages: Choice, to 7s 6d per sack of 18. Lettuce: Choice, to 4s per dozen. Potatoes, 3s per cwt. Carrots, 4s per cental bag. Swedes, 2s per cental bag. Parsnips, 4s per cental bag.

MERCHANDISE MARKET. Saturday Morning. A reduction of £4 t per ton has taken place in the price of first grade and second grade laundry soaps. Third and fourth grade have been reduced £5 per ton. Victory soap has been reduced by Is fid per box. A further alteration took place during the week in the prices of all New Zealand manufactured cereal foods. A small shipment of Pears’ Golden Glory soap has reached the market. Some merchants are sold out of seeded raisins (packets). Unbleached seedless raisins are in short supply and stocks of golden bleached are also sold out. The high prices ruling in America for raisins will be reflected in the higher landed cost for new season’s, due about November. Reports state that high grade teas have advanced considerably in price in Ceylon.

A further parcel of South African apricots will be landed next week.

The Wingatui is due with a cargo of sugar on September 4., The Colonial Sugar Company is now rationing supplies to merchants. A new line—Keen’s curry powder, 2oz tins (16 tins in a carton) —has made an appearance on the market. Renzie’s Pepso is now' available at 24s per dozen. Desiccated coconut is getting into short compass in the wholesale houses. The Waikouaiti, due from Sydney about September 10, will land further supplies.