CITY TRADING

Southland Times, Issue 24039, 1 February 1940, Page 3

CITY TRADING

BUSINESS QUIET ON PRODUCE MARKETS HARVESTING OF CROPS APPROACHING By OUR COMMERCIAL EDITOR

Business on the produce markets has been quiet because of lack of supplies and because farmers and merchants are busy with the season’s wool. However, harvesting of the new season’s crops is approaching and the produce markets should show a good deal of activity from now on. Steady supplies of all seasonable fruit have been coming on to the fruit market and at times it has been difficult to clear stocks. Oats—Stocks of last season’s oats have all been cleared. The incoming crop promises to yield well. A fair proportion of the crop consists of the new Onward variety, which gives high threshing returns. An occasional crop has gone down in places because of the wet weather, but the majority of the crops are standing up well. Cutting of some of the earlier crops will probably begin next week. Indications are that prices will be on a higher plane than last year, but it is rather early yet to indicate probable values to growers. Wheat.—There is an increased area of wheat in Southland this season and yields promise to be good. Many of the crops look remarkably well and Southland will probably have one of its highest yields this year as far as wheat is concerned. The question of how the wheat will grade will depend on the weather from now on. Samples passing milling grade will be saleable at prices fixed toy the Wheat Committee. There are still a few lines of low-quality fowl wheat held over from last season and these are being disposed of on the local market. The demand, however, is very slow for this quality. Chaff.—The supply is ample to meet the demand, which is now very small. Value to growers for good, bright quality is £3/10/- a ton, o.t.c.s. Ryegrass.—A considerable area has been saved for seed this season and the yield promises to be a good one. There should be much more seed available than has been the case for the past season or .two. An increased percentage of the crop has been sown in certified seed this year. Most of the crops in the main seed-growing districts are in stook.

Browntop.—Strippers will not be out for some time yet as this seed matures much later than other species. The spot market has shown an easing tendency as a result of the absence of overseas inquiries. It is reported that machine-dressed certified seed has been bought from growers in Canterbury at 1/- per lb. Uncertified lines are worth about Id per lb less. Chewings Fescue.—The Mossburn crop is now in stook, but threshing has been delayed because of high winds. As soon as the weather becomes settled samples of dressed seed should appear on the market. A certain amount of threshing has been carried out in the Gore district and some of the crop has been marketed at about 1/4 per lb for machine-dressed seed. There has been some overseas inquiry, but this has not been of an extensive nature. Prices will depend on the business available overseas.

Potatoes.—The market in Canterbury is reported to have eased to £4/17/6 a ton f.0.b., equal to about £3/5/- o.t.c.s. to growers. Provided the weather is fairly good from now on the Canterbury crop promises to be a bountiful one. So far no shipping business has taken place in Southland potatoes. Shipping merchants do not, as a rule, operate until the main crop varieties are available about April or May. In the meantime transactions are confined to the supply of local requirements, mostly through the medium of the sale rooms. THE FRUIT MARKET Good supplies of all varieties of seasonable fruit have been arriving steadily on the fruit marts and at times difficulty has been experienced in clearing stocks. Tomatoes, in particular, have been coming in increasing quantities and wholesale prices have been showing a drop each day. According to reports from Central Otago the season for apricots is likely Ito be short. Peaches are later in coming forward and many varieties of plums are decidedly late this season. Bon Chretien pears made an appearance during the week, but were in green condition. Cucumbers are plentiful and prices for these will show a very poor return to the growers. Apples are coming in in small lots and are realizing satisfactory prices. The Government marketing scheme comes _into operation this month and individual consignments will then cease. The market is well supplied with Californian lemons and Jamaican oranges. A shipment of bananas arrived on Tuesday to a bare market. The condition generally was satisfactory—although a proportion was rather badly damaged en route —and ripe bananas will be obtainable in quantity by the beginning of next week. The vegetable market is unchanged. The demand is very weak and most lines are difficult to clear, even at low prices. Wholesale prices are as follows: Tomatoes: From 4d to 8d a pound. Current value. Apricots: From 3/- to 6/6 a box. Peaches: From 3/6 to 5/6 a box. Plums: From 2/6 to 5/- a box. Cucumbers: To 6/- a box. White turnips: To 1/- a dozen. Carrots: To 1/6 a dozen bunches. Cauliflowers: To 8/- a sack. Potatoes: 6/6 to 8/6 cwt. New season’s apples: 8/- to 12/6 a case. Nectarines: 3/6 to 5/6 box. Pears: 4/- to 5/6 box. Marrows: To 2d lb. French beans: To 3d lb. RANGE OF PRICES Wholesale Bran: £6 a ton. Butter: First grade, 1/4J. Oatmeal: 25’s £25/10/— a ton; 200’s £23/10/-. Pollard: 100’s £7/10/- a ton; 150’s £7/5/- a ton. Flour: 200’s £l3/15/6 a ton; 100’s £l4/12/6 a ton; 50’s £l4/17/6 a ton; 25’s £l5/17/6 a ton. ■’ Retail Bran: 7/6 per 1001 b. Butter: 1/63. Oatmeal: s’s 1/8; 25’s 7/9. Flour: 25’s 4/6; 50’s 8/6; 100’s 16/-. Pollard: 9/- per 1001 b. EGG PRICES Egg prices were quoted yesterday at 1/3 a dozen wholesale, and from 1/5 to 1/6 a dozen retail. Country prices Id a dozen less. SEPARATOR BUTTER Yesterday separator butter was quoted at 9d to 1/- per lb wholesale the latter price being for specially good lines. Little demand exists for inferior quality. The retail prices yesterday ranged from 1/- to 1/3. The prices of eggs and separator butter vary from day to day. The prices quoted above were those in force yesterday.