CITY MARKETS

Southland Times, Issue 23336, 21 October 1937, Page 3

CITY MARKETS

Little Business In Oats POTATO PRICES RISE Oats.—This market continues to be quiet. Shipping business has been retarded by the importations of oats and other cereals from Australia Milling business is also quiet and a market in this direction can be found only for extra heavy good quality lines. Offerings from farmers, however, have eased considerably and only a few lines of recent threshing are being offered. Farmers would probably find difncul.y in securing over 2/10 a bushel on trucks country sidings for good quality lines, prices ranging down to 2/- a bushel for light lines. Wheat.—Milling prices f.o.b Bluff for the current month are 5/5 a bushel for Tuscan and Yeoman, 5/7 for Hunters and Montana King and 5/9 for Velvet. These prices, however, have very little interest for Southland growers as there is no milling wheat available. Good whole fowl wheat lines are commanding at least the equivalent of these prices. Chaff.—There is no outlet for shipment and the demand is limited to local requirements, which are very small. It is difficult to find an outlet for inferior lines, of which there is a fair proportion this season. Good bright lines are netting farmers about £4 10/- a ton on trucks, country stations. Ryegrass.—Because of the shortage of stocks, very little shipping business is being done and probably all stocks now held will be required for the local seed trade before the harvesting of the new season’s crop. For good quality lines which have been dressed on farmers’ accounts or in store the value ranges from 3/6 to 4/- a bushel. Other Seeds. —The overseas demand for Chewing’s fescue has been quieter. Although the bulk of the holdings of high germinating seed has been disposed of by merchants, there remains a considerable quantity of lower quality seed. The presence of this seed is tending to quieten the market. The brown top market continues very dull, the value to growers for machinedressed seed of export quality being about lOd a lb for certified and 8d to 9d for uncertified. Potatoes. —Because of the shortage in Southland it is impossible to compete in the shipping market and all of the Southland supplies will probably be absorbed on the local market. Values for good quality white potatoes have risen and prices to farmers on trucks country stations, are approximately £8 10/to £9 10/- a ton. Any lines of King Edwards available will command an advance on these prices. VEGETABLES MORE PLENTIFUL Business has been quieter in the marts this week. Although increased quantities of vegetables are coming forward and are being disposed of daily the demand for other lines has been slack and sales have been almost at a standstill. Bananas are scarce, although a record quantity has reached the market this month and should week-end sales be up to expectations, supplies will be exceptionally low next week, lire regular shipment ex the Maui Pomare reaches Invercargill next Thursday and ripe fruit will not be available for a further five days. The recent shipment of South Australian oranges is almost wholly out of wholesale hands. Definite information is not yet available of shipments from Melbourne and Sydney and should the embargo not be raised by the beginning of November, there will be no supplies until the end of the month. Grapes have been selling steadily and only a small quantity is left in store. Tomatoes are a little more plentiful, the bulk of the supplies coming from Christchurch. Prices are easier. Choice quality apples are scarce, nearly all lines that have reached the market recently being classified as second grade. Wholesale prices are quoted as follows :— Apples.—Best dessert, 9/- to 10/6 a case; best cookers, 7/- to 8/-; other lines, 3/6 to 6/-. Ripe bananas.—To 30/- a case. Grapes.—3o/- to 32/6 a chest Californian lemons.—72/6 a case. New Zealand lemons.—9/- to 12/- a case. Californian grapefruit.—4s/- a case. Jamaican grapefruit.—3o/- to 35/- a case. Hot-house tomatoes.—2/- a lb. New potatoes.—3d a lb. Pineapples.—lB/- to 25/- a case, according to quality. Cauliflowers.—l2/- to 15/- a bag. Cabbages.—3/6 to 4/- a bag. Best lettuce.—2/9 to 3/6 a dozen; others, 1/6 to 2/6 a dozen. Spring onions.—l/- a dozen bunches. Asparagus.—lo/- to 11/- a dozen bundles. Kumeras.—2jd a lb. Rhubarb.—2d a lb. Cucumbers.—l 3- a dozen. WHOLESALE Bran.—£6 a ton. Butter.—First grade, 1/3; second grade, 1/2; separator, lid for best quality. Oatmeal. —25’s £27 a ton; 200’s £25 a ton. Pollard.—loo’s £7 10/- a ton; 150’s £7 5/- a ton. Flour.—2oo’s £l3 15/6 a ton; 100’s £l4 12/6 a ton; 50’s £l4 17/6 a ton; 25’s £l5 7/6 a ton. RETAIL Bran.—7/6 a 1001 b. Butter. —1/4J to 1/SJ; separator, 1/-. Flour—2s’s 4/6; 50’s 8/6; 100’s 16/-. Oatmeal.—2s’s 7/9; 50’s 15/3. Pollard.—9/- a 1001 b. Onions. —41b a 1/-. Potatoes.—7lb for 1/-. PRICES OF EGGS It was reported yesterday that supplies of eggs have been scarcer during the week, with a rising tendency in prices. Wholesale prices were quoted at from 1/1 to 1/3 a dozen, with retail prices from 1/3 to 1/5. THE BUTTER MARKET LONDON PRICES FIRM (Received October 20, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 19. The butter market is firm. Quotations: Danish, 145/-; New Zealand and Australian, choicest salted and unsalted, 136/-. ELECTROLYTIC ZINC’S RECORD PROFIT (Received October 20, 6.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, October 20. A record profit of £536,613 was earned by the Electrolytic Zinc Company for the year to June 30. The dividends for the year were 17J per cent, on both preference and ordinary capital.