TRADE REVIEW.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 960, 9 March 1917, Page 9

TRADE REVIEW.

OATS AND GRASS SEED SOARING. Limited business has been transacted during the week in most lines as offerings have not been frequent, and this shortage of supplies from the producers has caused a rise in several lines, notably oats and grass seed. The prices of oats have risen about 9d per bushel, during the last two months or so, and this has been the means of direct losses to many merchants, as a good deal of forward business was transacted earlier in the season when confidence was felt in the market. This confidence has proved unwarranted, but contracts have to be kept. Another effect of the rise in oats has been the sudden advance in the price of oatmeal which is now quoted at £24 per ton as against £l7 a short time ago. It is reported that further sales have been made of "Giant White" oats to Auckland from Tasmania at a lower figure than what we can supply them. Barley offerings of good quality are light, and prices for malting vary from 4/9 to 5/3 per bushel on trucks, while extra choice samples have been sold at as high as 5/6. Cape barley is worth about 4/- to 4/3. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. As compared with a month or two back, when grain was coming in from all directions, wheat has been scarce this week, as far as millers are concerned, although merchants report having done a certain amount of business for outside firms on commission. Millers can give no explanation of the short offerings, hut in any case they are fairly well stocked up in the meantime and are not showing any anxiety on that account. The business passing is at the full maximum Government price for anything that warrants it, and that can truly be called milling quality, while business is also transacted at less for inferior samples. The following arc the prices paid to farmers at country stalions,_ free of commission, with the exception of wheat, which is on a f.o.b. basis: — Wheat—Pearl and Velvet 5/9, Hunters 5/8, Tuscan and other varieties 5/7. New Oats—Duns, dark coloured, 3/- to 3/3, Cartons 3/- to 3/3, Algerians 3/- to 3/2. Flour—£ls per ton, 1001b bags £ls 10/-, 501b bags £ls 15/-, and 251b bags £l6. Bran—£4 10/-. Pollard—£6 per ton. Oatmeal—2slb bags £2l per ton. Oatsheaf Chaff to £3 10/- for prime. Peas (nominal) —Patridge 4/6 to 4/9 (none offering). Ryegrass—ltalian light, 3/6 to 3/9, heavier 4/- to 4/3, perennial 4/- to 4/6. OATS AND CHAFF.

The oat market is very bare and has been for some weeks past, with the usual result that prices have risen to a fabulous height for this season of the year. A rise of about threepence per bushel has taken place during Ibis week, and anything good is well worth 3/3 on trucks today. The southland crop is not what was at first expected, so much being damaged. Heavy dark-colour-ed Duns are now worth from 3/- lo 3/3, and Gartons are firm at the same price, while Algerians are meeting with a ready sale at from 3/- to 3/2 per bushel. Algerian oats are, according to all accounts, being bought in Melbourne for 2/4 per bushel for the North Island, and can be landed at Auckland for 3/o', while oals cannot be sent profitably from here, with the present freight charges under 4/3 per bushel. Chaff is very dull of sale at (lie i' 3 10/- per lon level on trucks, the lack of shipping facilities practically killing the trade so far as Canterbury is concerned. GRASS SEED. There is still a strong demand for

grass seed and clover for autumn sowing, both from the North Island and from here, but the offerings arc very short, and prices have risen again. Invercargill, the centre of the Southland seed market, has sent very few samples forward, and the other southern markets are not over supplied, as local merchants have received orders which needless to say they are experiencing extreme difficulty in filling. Perennial seed of not particularly heavy quality is bringing from 3/6 to 3/9 on trucks at handy stations, while seed in the vicinity of 241b would be worth from 4/- to 4/6 per bushel. Sales of Italian are being made at from 4/- to 4/3 for the best samples. Cocksfoot remains steady at last week's rates, being worth 9kl to lOid for 121b or 131b seed, and 8d to 9d f.o.b. at the bays for lighter and less attractive. Offerings have been very light from the Peninsula, and a few odd lines have been seen from the plains.

There is a strong demand for any white clover that is brought forward, but the quantity dealt with so far is insignificant, and the opinion is that the crop generally is going to prove a light one. What while clover has changed hands has done so at from 1/8 to 1/9 per lb. It is rather early as yet for cow grass. POTATOES AND ONIONS.

Potatoes are now offering in large quantities, and this is causing complications as regards shipping and has even influenced certain merchants to reduce their prices to farmers. Other buyers' prices remain steady, but probably good potatoes would realise from £4 to £4 5/- for April and May delivery, and from £4 5/- to £4 10/- for prompt delivery. Many growers are starling to 'dig their tubers earlier than usual, and it is evident from the appearance of many lots of those coming in that the potatoes are not really ripe for lifting. A good frost, although disastrous to many other varieties of vegetables, would do a world of good to potatoes just now, and would cut down the tops and hasten the ripening considerably. The uncertainty of labour is a factor influencing the early digging to a certain extent, for farmers have to take advantage of labour when it offers, and just now there are numbers of men willing to take on casual work who would perhaps not be available later on in the season. Potatoes are being inquired for from Wellington and Auckland, and orders are being filled as far as shipping will allow, but merchants state that not half the orders can be sent forward., A fair number of onions are coming in, and the season is about in full swing. A large quantity has been got away to the North Island, principally Auckland, but the orders have not been fully supplied. This will probably put the Auckland merchants in an awkward position, as space has been taken in the Vancouver boat for the onions. DAIRY PRODUCE.

The supply of eggs has eased off this week suddenly, and caused a rise of 2d per dozen, stamped now being worth 1/0 and others 1/5 per dozen. Inquiries are coming to hand from the north, but no business has resulted.

Butter supplies from farmers are gradually easing off, and the North Island orders cannot be filled, as all stores are required for winter use. Factory is quoted at 1/5 net wholesale and 1/7 retail, separator l/ll to 1/2, and dairy 1/0* to 1/1 per lb. Beekeepers appear to be holding on fo their honey, probably for higher prices, as there is very little offered at the 4 2 ' d per lb level.' There has not been much of the crop sold yet as far as can be seen, and there is no rise in price lo report yet. Sections are worth 5/- per dozen. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

Supplies of vegetables are good, and local fruit is also in fair supply, the prices being moderate. The Teviot fruit is now practically conlined to nectarins, apricots and peaches. In consequence of this week's frost prices of tomatoes have risen slightly. Next Thursday the usual Sydney shipment of pineapples and passions is expected, and towards the latter end of the week, Cook Island bananas and oranges will probably arrive. The following were the ruling prices in to-day's markets:—

Apples (dessert), II- to 8/- per case, (cooking) 5/- to II- per case. Apricots, 3d to 3ad per It). Bananas (Fiji), 20/- to 22/- per case.

Lemons (Mildura), 30/- per case, (Italian) 15/- per half case. Nectarins, 5/- to (5/- per half case. Oranges (Cook Island), 10/- to 11/- per case; Valencias, 20/- to 21/per case.

Peaches, 5/- to 5/9 per half case. Pears, 1/- to 1/G per case. Pineapples, 9/- to 10/- per ease. Plums, 5/- to 6/- per case. Blackberries, Gd per lb. Grapes, Bid to lOd per lb. Passions (Sydney), II- to 9/- per case; Auckland 3/- to 5/- per case. Quinces, 21- to 2/9 per case. Mushrooms, (id to 7d per lb. Tomatoes (local), 2/0 to 3/3 per case. Beans (scarlet runner), 2d to 3d per lb. Beet, Gd to 7d per doz. bdls. Cabbages, II- to 21- per dozen. Cauliflowers, 3/G to G/- per dozen. Carrots, M to 9d per doz. bdls. Cucumbers, 1/- to 2/- per case. Green Peas (local), 1/5 to 1/7 per peek. Leeks, 8d to 9d per doz. bdls. Marrows, 3/G to 416 per dozen. Potatoes (local), 5/- to G/- cwt., or 2/G to 2/!) per sugar bag. Onions, local G/- to II- cwt., picklers \/~ to 5/-, spring onions 3d to 5d per bdls. Parsnips, 8d to 9(1 per doz. bdls. Pumpkins, 5/- to II- per sack. Rhubarb, 21- to 3/- per doz. bdls. Turnips, 7d to 8d per doz. bdls. ]