POTATO MARKET CHANGES

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1930, Page 9

POTATO MARKET CHANGES

PRICE OF CHAFF IMPROVED. PROMPT POSITION WEAK. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Business on the local grain and pi oduce market is still of comparatively small dimensions. The principal business that is being done is in potatoes. The forward position is fairly strong, but the prompt position for potatoes is weak. The prompt quotation for whites is £3 to £3 5s on trucks. The May-June quotation is £4 Ms, f.0.b., sacks in; Juno alone, £4 15s; July £5 2s 6d; July-August-September, £5 12s (Id. It is not possible to buy freely at the forward prices above quoted. Two steamers will leave Lyttelton to-morrow night with about 11,000 sacks for Auckland. The northern centre does not usually take so many potatoes from the South Island at this time of the year as it is taking this season. The total shipments from Lyttelton to Auckland up to the end of April tthis year consisted of • 47,090 sack®, compared with 45,278 sacks for the corresponding period last year. In addition to the shipments from Lyttelton a good many potatoes have gone from T'imaru. The wheat market remains about the same as at the date of the previous report, but there is very little wheat now offering. Pool wheat is still being delivered 0 on account of contracts entered into earlier between millers and the pool and prices remain unchanged at 5 s 8d to 5s 9d for Tuscan, 5s 9d to 5s Iffd for Hunters and 5s lid to 6s for Pearl, on trucks. Fowl wheat is still in good demand at 5s lid, f.o.b.,sacks extra, but it is difficult to obtain supplies. It cannot bo said that there is much ■business passing in oats, but the mai-. ket is firm at late rates. A grade are worth 3s 6d on trucks and B grade 3s 3d. The importation of chaff by the North Island from Tasmania has not detrimentally affected the price here. The local price has improved, to-day’s quotations being £5 to £<? 2s 6d a ton for good bright. The market for partridge peas is firmer owing to a better demand from home. No. I arc worth 4s 6d on trucks. It is difficult to obtain supplies. The area sown in peas last year was smaller tlian usual and the yield was light. There is a slightly better inquiry for linseed but the price is unaltered at £l5 a ton, on trucks.

The bottom has dropped out of the onion market. Nominally the price is 3‘os a ton.

There is nothing doing in small seeds, and prices of these are unchanged.