DUNEDIN MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 18

DUNEDIN MARKETS.

WHEAT, OATS, ETC. Friday Evening. Apart from an occasional sale of fowl wheat, there is not much doing in the local wheat market. Millers are continuing their detached attitude in regard to the market, and are quite satisfied to look on in the meantime. They are holding fair-sized stocks, and in view of the restricted sales of flour, and the fact that the values of wheat will be lower in the coming harvest, they, as stated, are not taking a very keen interest in the position.

In addition to the stocks of fowl wheat held in the stores there are a few lines of milling quality. The latter will be difficult to place, and the stocks of the former appear to be sufficient to meet all demands. North Island merchants are buying fowl wheat only sparingly, and the local trade is quiet. There is no alteration in prices for either milling or fowl wheat. The former is quoted on a basis of 5s lOd, f.0.b., sacks extra, for Tuscan, and fowl wheat is worth, wholesale, 4s 7d per bushed, ex the store. There are fairly heavy stocks of under-grade quality in the stores, and the outlet for this wheat is very limited. Millers’ prices for flour, etc., are as follow:—

Flour: 2001 b, £l7 2s Gd; 100 s, £lB 2s 6d: 50's, £lB 7s Gd; 25’s, £lB 17s 6d. Bran, £5 10s per ton. Pollard, £6 10s per ton. Oatmeal: 1001 b, £2O; 25's, £22.

yi'he oat market continues lifeless. North Island merchants are buying occasional lines on a basis of 2s lOd, f.0.b., s.i., for A’s, and 2s 7d for B’s. Stocks cf oats held here are light, and there is a fair quality being delivered to the country for seed purposes. The sowing of oats has been delayed on account of the broken 'weather, but it is expected that deliveries w’ill be fairly substantial this month. Practically no oats are on offer by farmers, whose stocks of A Gartons are worth 2s 2d, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings, with B’s at 2s.

The potato market continues weak, with merchants showing an anxiety to quit their stocks. Many of the lines in the stores are sprouted, and prices per sack are being accepted in order to effect sales. These prices will show a considerable loss to growers. Even for the best, freshlypicked lines it is difficult to find buyers. The curreat quotation is £2 to £2 10s per

ton, sacks included. There are still fairly substantial stocks held in the stores, and it is hardly likely that the market will be able to absorb all of them. Odd truck loads of chaff are still arriving from the country, and these are sufficient to meet all demands. Truck lots are worth £4 per ton, sacks extra, and up to £4 10s per ton is available for small lines ex the store.

Quotations are appearing on the market from Canterbury, where supplies are offering at down to £2 17s Gd per ton, on trucks, sacks extra. A few truck loads are arriving on the market from Canterbury to suppleement the local supplies. Little business is passing in the wholesale seed market. Spring orders are now being delivered to the country, but these are not of the dimensions of previous seasons. In the meantime, there is no quotable change in any of the markets. Merchants are endeavouring to work up some export business, but overseas buyers are not showing much interest. Produce lines are quoted wholesale as follow: — Chaff: Good quality, £4 10s per ton, ex store. Dunedin, sacks extra. Potatoes: Best quality, £2 to £2 10s per ton. Dairy butter: Milled bulk, Is per lb; separator pats, lid. Bacon, 11 Id per lb. Ham: Ordinary’, llhl; boneless, Is Id per lb. Onions: Californian, 21s per bag. Eggs: Stamped, lid per dozen; case, lOd. FRUIT REPORT. The fruit and vegetable markets are much brighter, with a better demand existing for practically everything offering. The demand for apples is confined to choice quality only. Other sorts are selling at low rates for this time of the year. A further shipment of Samoan bananas w’ill arrive towards the end of next week, ex the Maui Pomare. The consignment for the local market will be railed from Lyttelton, as the Maui Pomare will not come to Dunedin this trip. A shipment of Rarotongan bananas will arrive in Wellington about October 17, also Island tomatoes.

A heavy shipment of navel oranges arrived on Tuesday, ex the Wainui, from Melbourne. Most of the fruit was landed in good condition. Thq oranges from South Australia were, however, somewhat over-ripe, as they had to be carried . a greater distance than the other fruit. There will be only one further shipment

of Australian navels for the present season. Valencias will be offering more freely’ from now’.onwards, both from Sydney and Melbourne. A further shipment of Californian grapes arrived during the week. . The lemon market is firmer. A fair sized parcel was on board the Wainui, but these were quickly sold out of wholesale hands. The Waikouaiti, which arrived yesterday from Sydney’, brought supplies of oranges, mandarins, pines, passions, cucumbers, lemons, and marrows. Cauliflowers are still in heavy supply and prices remain unchanged. Those growers who are railing cauliflowers from the country’ districts will receive little return for their work. Savoy cabbages are practically finished. A better demand exists for good-hearted spring cabbage. Lettuce are a little more plentiful. Rhubarb is plentiful and prices are low. Other vegetables are in good supply. Wholesale prices are as follow’: — Apples: Delicious, choice 7s to 10s per case, others 5s to 8s; Jonathans, Cleopatras, choice, 5s to 6s; Sturmers. 6s to 8s Gd; cookers, 4s to 6s Gd; small dessert and cooking applies are very slow of sale. Bananas: Ripe, 22s 6d per case. Oranges: Australian navels, choice, 12s to 15s, others 8s to 10s; Valencias, 10s to Us. Passions, 16s Gd per case. , Californian grapes, 25s to 27s Gd per barrel. Lemons: Australian, 14s to IGs per case. Pines, 16s 6d per case. Mandarins, 12s 6d to 16s. Cauliflowers: Choice, 3s 6d to 5s per sack; medium, Is to 2s. Cucumbers: Australian, 19s per case. Australian marrows, 17s per case. Spring cabbages, Is to 2s 6d per dozen. Lettuce: Choice, 2s 6d to 4g 6d per dozen; small, Is per dozen. Rhubarb, Id io 2d per lb. Potatoes, 3s per cwt. Carrots, to 3s 6d per cental bag. Swedes, 2s per cental bag. Parsnips, to 5s per cental bag. Spinach, Is 6d per dozen bunches. Asparagus, Ils to 15s per dozen bundles.

MERCHANDISE MARKET. Saturday Morning. Owing to the fact that some American firms are now quoting only on the dollar basis, and also owing to the fluctuating rate of exchange, merchants find it difficult to taake quotations for forward delivery.

The Golden Cloud, which arrived on Friday, has landed a small shipment of choice and fancy seeded raisins which show a distinct rise in landed cost. A well-known line of fancy seeded and seedless raisins is now: quoted at 6s per dozen.

Prunes are getting into short supply in wholesale hands, and prices are now very firm.

Mildura sultanas have been in strong demand during the last two or three weeks, and some merchants are already short of supplies. The wholesale market is practically bare of seedless raisins, while golden and oil bleached are completely sold out of suppliers’ hands. Salmon quotations are very firm, and some merchants are xyithout supplies of halves, especially in Pink quality. The next Singapore boat is advised to leave Singapore during November-Decem-ber, and sago, tapioca, and pineapples show a marked increase on the shipment recently to hand. Stocks of sago held locally are in short supply. A shipment of Jordan almonds ex Narkunda and Wainui has just arrived. Symington’s tomato soup in packets has been landed ex Taranaki along with sup plies of Morton’s merchandise. The Ceylon tea market continues to show an upward tendency, especially for the better grade teas. The Golden Coast landed Canadian flour.

The Wainui brought considerable con signments of tea from Melbourne transhipped from the Colombo boat. She also brought parcels of preserved ginger and Australian manufactured lemon squash.