Grocery Review

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 444, 28 August 1928, Page 12

Grocery Review

The Sun Office, August 28, 1928. There is a distinct improvement in trade this week, wholesale grocery merchants still being very busy with the orders for September account. As the winter is almost over trade is expected to steadily increase from now on till the end of the year, and orders for forward delivery are coming to hand in good volume.

The manufacturers of Karpol (a new polish for motor-cars) notify an advance of 3s a dozen in the price of this line. An item of more interest to the housewife is an increase of hd a lb in the price of dripping in pats. The agents for a well-known packer of Australian canned fruits have received cable advice to withdraw all quotations for their standard grade sliced peaches. Among the list of goods just landed is a shipment of greaseproof paper, which has been in very short supply for some time. DATES

An item of considerable interest last week was the announcement of prices for all grades of new season’s dates, foxshipment from Basra in October. With the exception of stoned dates which are a little lower, all prices are exactly the same as last year. The prices for lib paper bag dates —a new packing not previously imported to this market —are about 3d a lb higher than those for the ordinary bulk dates, and a failamount of business has been placed by the wholesale merchants. Quotations have also been made for the various brands of carton dates, from the cheap Khadrawi quality up to the golden stoneless variety. All quotations for dates for shipment by the direct steamer ai-e subject to a fall clause up to the time of arrival in the Dominion. Another stipulation which is much appreciated by the wholesale trade is that merchants are to be charged the net weights at time of arrival in New Zealand. In the past there has been much dissatisfaction regarding weights owing to the fact that these have been taken on an average basis. PEANUTS Prices are now named for new season’s Chinese peanuts in shell for Octo-ber-November shipment from Tientsin. Considerable interest has been taken in these offers as local stocks of peanuts in shell are light and these will be all cleared up before the ai-rival of the new nuts about the end of the year. The season in China last year was to a large extent a failure. Prices now quoted for new crop show an advantage of about £3 a ton compared with the latest ruling price for old crop. WALNUTS Agents for the various Chinese shippers have now issued quotations for new season’s walnuts in shell for shipment commencing in October. In comparison with prices of about this period last year to-day’s rates are about £5 a ton higher. PEPPER True to its reputation, the market for pepper has once again fluctuated suddenly, but this time in the opposite direction to which it was expected and last week’s prices showed a l-ise of 2d a lb. As the market had been gradually declining for several weeks prior to this, the sudden advance came very unexpectedly. However, reports from Singapore this week state that the higher rates are only temporary and that lower prices may be expected in September or October-. SPICES The market for both mace and nutmegs is lower to-day than it has been for many years, this week’s cabled quotations showing a further reduction of l*d and 3d a lb respectively, compared with last week’s prices. No information is to hand from Singapore as to the future possibilities of these lines. CITRIC ACID

The firmness in quotations for English citric acid has been further emphasised this week, cables from London shippers advising an advance of 2d a lb foi- spread shipment up to the end of the year. This is the second rise during the past few weeks, and information to hand states that still higher prices are likely to rule. PRUNES

It would appear that the market in San Francisco is firm, as business sent up last week for forward shipment was not accepted, an advance of about Is a cwt being asked. Owing to the heavy stocks held locally; merchants have not vet booked their requirements of new fruit, but that present prices are not likely to hold for any length of time. RAISINS

Prices for new season’s Thompson’s seedless raisins remain on a very low level and sales have been made to the retai! trade at most favourable rates. A slightly firmer market for both seedless and seeded raisins in cartons for forward shipment is now noticeable, but all other lines, including bleached raisins, are at a very low ebb. CASTOR OIL

Latest cables from Calcutta show that castor oil (Australian thirds) is now a little easier for shipment by the next direct steamer in December. To-day’s price is about on a level with the rate quoted prior to the sailing of the August steamer, although prices advanced about ~d a gallon directly prior to this steamer leaving Calcutta.

LONDON PRODUCE MARKET

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S CABLE

Under date August 25, the High Commissicmer for New Zealand stationed in London cabled as follows: Tallow.—No auction this week. Market very quiet at last quotations. Apples.—The market is quiet Californian Gravenstein are worth 31s Sd to 13s a case. Pears.—-Californian Bartlett, Ids to lile and Buerre Hardy, 20s to 24s a' 451 b Wool.—Practically no business at Bradford on account of local holiday. Quotations for tops are nominal and in fav- “ 1 3t d ]? u Z% rs - They are:—64's, Merino a , lb ; average, 4s 3d to 4s 3i,d, 56 s, super halfbred, 3s 2d; 60s, preIsTd’ 2S 7d ’ 4 °' S ' pre P ared > 2s OJd to Hemp.—Manila: The market is quiet but steady: closing value. “J” grade r. 17 foi August-October and September-No-vember shipments. Sisal: The market is L™?, r and .sood business has been done in all positions. No. 1 is quoted at £35 —35 10s, and No. 2, £33 15s'~to £34 buyers. New Zealand: The market is somewhat firmer, with very little offering at present. Demand for shipment cottiriues. Nominal closing values are LHlghpoints, £3l 15s; fair, £2S 35s* re jected, £26. Tow: Second grade, £2l s?' third grade, £l7 15s for Septembervembei- shipment?. Stocks of New Zealand hemp m London on July 31 ln£ S dafe a last yean" 3 ° n 016 corres P° Pd -

HUDDART PARKER DIVIDEND

at t!le rate of 3 ?eit on m T” ce shares, and 5 per tei , on shares, payable on SenParker, Ltd ’ S announced by- Huddart,

The preference dividend is at the usu >l .A flection j. s noted in the ordinai\ di\idend, however, although it is quice on the cards that this may be made up at the end of the year. The company paid out 14 per cent, to share--12i d lE 8 islSI CeiU - 3D2C - and