OTAGO PRODUCE MARKETS

Southland Times, Issue 23254, 17 July 1937, Page 4

OTAGO PRODUCE MARKETS

Variation In Wheat Quality LITTLE INQUIRY FOR OATS (United Press Association) DUNEDIN, July 16. A spell of finer weather has enabled some threshing of wheat to be carried out in the country. There are still a number of lines to be threshed, this wheat having been held in stack in an attempt to improve its condition. The wheat at present reaching the market shows considerable variation in quality, some being suitable for milling, with a fair proportion of fowl wheat grade. Only those millers who have yet to fill their quota for the season are quite prepared to accept lines suitable for milling. The fowl wheat market is firm. Good sound quality is difficult to secure and this is worth 5/6 a bushel, sacks extra, ex store Dunedin stores are carrying a fair quantity ..of undergrade lines of doubtful keeping quality and this class of .cereal is difficult to sell at 5/- to 5/3 a bushel, sacks extra. The unfavourable weather conditions which have been experienced for some months are making it difficult for farmers to get their ground ready for the coming season’s crops. Up .to the present there has been little inquiry for seed wheat and, under the circumstances, it may be that there will be a smaller area laid down in wheat than usual. NORTH ISLAND DEMAND WEAK The oat market continues dull with little inquiry. It is noticeable this season that there has been a weak demand from the North Island for oats and where business has gone through the demand has been supplied from Canterbury. There is also little inquiry from overseas. As a consequence merchants are not showing much interest in the market. Farmers’ lines coming on the market are difficult to sell, except where the oats are sound and heavy in condition. For the latter quality millers are operating at reduced limits. The nominal shipping quotation is 4/1, f.o.b.s.i, for A’s and 3/10 for B’s. Values in the country are 3/4 to 3/5 for heavy Gartons, 3/3 for ordinary A’s, 3/- for B grade and 2/6 to 2/9 for undergrade, sacks extra. The demand for chaff is on the quiet side. Prices are unchanged, with supplies being drawn from surrounding districts and an occasional truck load from Canterbury. The current value is £5 15/- a ton, sacks extra, ex truck, with lots ex stores selling at higher prices. Undergrade quality is difficult to place. TTie potato market has experienced a quiet time during the past few days and is in the main unchanged, with best quality whites realizing £6 15/- a ton, sacks included. SEED MARKETS QUIET As is usual at this time of the year the seed markets are quiet. Merchants are carrying fair stocks and are waiting for the spring demand. The main lines, such as ryegrass, cocksfoot, white clover and cowgrass, continue steady with no alteration in values. The demand for finer seeds, Chewings fescue, browntop and crested dogstail, has eased off and for fescue and browntop the values are weakening. No orders are being received from overseas for fescue and browntop, the export demand being affected by heavy crons of Kentucky blue grass and hard fescue available in the northern hemisphere. Onions are practically unobtainable and prices have shown a sharp advance during the week. An effort is now being made to obtain supplies from Victoria and to meet the shortage until stocks of Californian come to hand towards the end of September. There is a better demand for choice quality dessert apples and supplies are quickly taken up on arrival. Choice quality are not over-plentiful but, on the other hand, stocks of second grade are accumulating in the marts with a slow sale at low prices. Country sorts have been in good supply. Pears are offering in small quantities only and high prices are being realized. A further shipment of South Australian oranges is due on Tuesday, ex the Waitaki, from Melbourne. A small quantity of mandarins is also due ex the Waitaki, Bananas are in good supply, with a slow sale. Lemons are still realizing very high prices. Supplies of both Californian and New Zealand-grown are difficult to obtain. THE CANTERBURY MARKETS VERY LITTLE BUSINESS BEING DONE (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, July 16. The grain and produce markets have little life in them and in no section is there anything but the smallest quantity of business. July is generally a dull month in the majority of lines but this year there are few signs of activity anywhere. The North Island demand for potatoes has not so far appeared, mainly because shipments last week, amounting to 9000 sacks, and further substantial shipments this week have kept Auckland fully supplied. There is some consignment business but the majority of deliveries made have been in the execution of contracts made earlier in tiie season. Buyers are riot keen to operate even at the present reduced rates which remain unchanged from the beginning of the week. Onions continue in good demand and where supplies are available are easily sold. The prices run from £8 to £lO, on trucks. The crop has mainly been cleaned up but there are still supplies of Turbits available, Oats and chaff continue firm with little business passing. It appears that a good deal of oats will be required in sheaf for winter feeding and offerings are not heavy. Both oats and chaff are being imported into the North Island from Tasmania. WINTON HORSE SALE The National Mortgage and Agency Co., Ltd., held its monthly horse sale at Winton yesterday. There was a large entry of fairly good quality and a big attendance of district farmers provided keen competition throughout. Prices showed a slight improvement on recent sales. Top prices of the sale were 4-year-old mares £45, £36 and £34 and one 3-year-old mare £36. Other prices were: 7-year-old gelding £3O, 8-year-old gelding £35 10/-, aged mare £2B, 10-year-old mare £3O 10/-, 6- mare £34 10/-, 5-year-old gelding £4O, 9-year-old gelding £3O, 10-year-old gelding £37 10/-, 3-year-old filly £29 10/-, 3-year-old filly £26, 8-year-old gelding £3O, 3-year-old gelding £32, 3-year-old filly £24, light gelding 4-year-old £l5 10/-, 9-year-old mare £3l, aged gelding £l6 10/-. aged gelding £l9 10/-, 3-year-old mare £3l 10/-, 9-year-old gelding £27 10/-. light gelding £9 10/-, light mare 3-year-old £l4 10/-, aged mare £l7 10/-, 7- gelding £3l 10/-, pony £l3 10/-, ony £6, aged hack £l.