COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 17655, 12 February 1916, Page 4

COMMERCIAL

PRODUCE PRICES CURRENT. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1916. WHOLESALE, Fresh farm butter, lOd. Fresh butter (separator), lid. Factory butter, Vf-lb prints, 1/4Viid. Eggs, 1/3. Potatoes, 140/-. Flour, £l4 to £ls/. Oatmeal, £lB. Bran, £5 10/-. Pollard, £9 10/-. RETAIL. Fresh butter (farm), 1/-. Fresh butter (separator), 1/1. Fresh butter (farm), 1/1. Fresh butter (separator), 1/2. Factory butter, V£lb prints, 1/6. Cheese, lid. Eggs, 1/6. Bacon, 1/2. Oatmeal—solb 10/6, 251b 5/3. Potatoes, 9/- cwt; 121bs 1/-. Onions, Slbs 1/-. Flour, 2001b, 31/-; 1001b, 15/9; 501b, 8/3; 251b, 4/6. Pollard, 15/6. Bran, 10/-. SOUTHLAND STOCK AND PRODUCE MARKET. TIMES OFFICE, Friday. PAT CATTLE. —Ox beef, 43/- to 44/-; heifer, 41/. to 42/6; cow, 39/- to 40/-.

FAT SHEEP. —Prime butchers’ wethers, 24/- to 25/-; medium, 22/- to 22/6; prime heavy owes, 22/- to 23/-; medium and unfinished, 20/- to 21/-; fat lambs, unfinished, 20/- to 21/-; fat lambs, 18/to 20/-, according to tveight. STORE CATTLE.—Three-year-old for. ward bullocks, up to £10; 2Vs-year-olds, £7 15/- to £8 12/6; two-year-olds (good), up to £7 10,/-; ordinary, £6 10/- to £7 5/-; IS-months-oUI, £4 15/- to £5 5/-; yearling steers, up to £3 10/-; yearling heifers, £2 10/- to £2 15/-; calves, 25/to 30/-; dairy cows, average sorts, £9 to £10; extra good, up to £l4. STORE SHEEP.—Two-tooth Avethers, 16/- to 17/-, up to 19/- for first-class; two-tooth ewes, 21/- to 22/- for good sorts; medium, 19/- to 19/6; four and six-tooth wethers, 19/- to 20/-; rape lambs, 15/- to 16/-; extra good, to 16/6; store lambs, 14/- to 15/-; station ewes, 16/6 to 17/6; station lambs, 11/- to 13/-,

OATS. —The market is rather quiet on spot owing to the lack of shipping facilities and to the fact that these are few old oats left in the market. Buyers in the north on the other hand are not anxious to buy owing to the market having a drooping tendency. AVith regard to the new season’s crop this has been ripening much more quickly than Avas at one time anticipated, and it seems likely that, if the weather is favourable, there will bo a good many farmers ready to deliver in March. There has been a good enquiry for forward delivery, but whilst merchants arc of opinion that they will be able to cover their forward sales at a profit, they are displaying great caution in view of the fact that it is more difficult to gauge the markets under the abnormal conditions now ruling. Some merchants are of opinion that oats will open at between 2/3 and 2/6, whilst others s think that, owing to the lack of shipping for foreign markets, farmers will have to accept in the neighbourhood of 2/-. Time alone will prove tvhich is correct. CHAFF.—TIiis market is quiet also, and there is not a great deal offering. Prices remain about the same as last week, viz,, from £4 5/- to £4 10/-, on trucks, for prime quality, but there is now very littlo available in the country, the most of the supplies being in store either at Invercargill or Bluff. The current price at Invercargill at the present time is from £5 5/- to £5 10/-, delivered in small distributing lots. POTATOES. —There is very little doing at present, although there are cnquirics for delivery later on. At present business is mainly confined to sates of .small lots to retail distributors, and, as there has been a good deal offering, prices have fallen considerably. The local wholesale price may be quoted at from £6 to £7 per ton, less railage and merchants’ commission.

HYKGHASy.-—Tho season has (now fairly opened, and samples have been offered varying in weight from lllhs to -Bibs per bushel. As far as can be judged at present, the seed will he heavier than last year, hut in some instances it has been very indifferently harvested, some farmers having threshed out of stook when tlie stuff was not thoroughly dry. The warm rains and close muggy days, and the almost total absence of wind, arc likely to seriously affect the condition of any grass still in stock. At the same time there will lie a good proportion of well-harvested seed. So far merchants have not been very anxious to buy, and have been hanging off apparently to see what their opponents are going to do. It is likely, however, that the range of prices will he from 3/3 up to 4/-, all depending on the weight and the degree of cleanness.

HEMP. —The market continues very firm; in fact it is even firmer than it was last week. Anyone handling hemp at present would require a fair margin of profit, but in spite of this, millers could easily get from £34 to £3,', 0.t., for good-fair. An increase in freights was recently announced, ami the rate to London is now £7 per ton plus primage, and there is reason to believe that freights may even go higher. Although prices arc so good the freight difficulties, together with labour troubles, very largely discount tho rosy prospect that could otherwise loom large in the eyes of the millers.

TOW. —This is also in strong demand, both in the dominion and for export. Values of tow are also extraordinarily high, considering the high price of freight.

WHEAT and FLOUR.—There is very little doing in wheat, ns there is very little available in this district. In view of the position in Canterbury, it is thought that new wheat will open in this market at about 4/B, o.t. In wellinformed circles it is thought that the Commonwealth Government will have difficulty in holding the juice of wheat to the value ut present fixed, viz., 5/3Vs, which may be looked on as equal to 4/9, o.t. The price of (lour remains the same as last week, viz., £l4 per ton wholesale.