MARKET REPORTS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20540, 15 February 1935, Page 9

MARKET REPORTS.

Wholesale Grocery Trade Steady. FORWARD BOOKINGS. Quite a steady volume of business is continuing to pass through wholesale grocery merchants’ hands, and whilst orders for prompt delivery are perhaps not so heavy as they wore last month, continued interest is still being shown in forward bookings, and in several directions merchants are experiencing considerable difficulty in covering their forward requirements at satisfactory figures due to the fluctuations which are taktng place In markets. Next week should see a considerable stimulus to trade with the receipt and despatch of orders for new month’s account. A new line of imported health salts is at present being Introduced to the trade. The quality compares very favourably with other imported brands, and in view of the fact that It is attractively packed and is being marketed on a fixed retail price maintenance policy i merchants are anticipating the line proving a good seller. Several of the lines which have been in short supply, namely rennet, 7o* herrings and an imported line or cigarotte tobacco, are again available. Cable quotations to hand for Java kernels this week, for shipment by next direct steamer, register a considerable advance on price* ruling last year, it would seem that merchants’ present offers are attractive. Indications are that the laundrv soaps market la very firm, manufacturers having commenced the withdrawal of the usual three months’ cover and they are to-day not prepaied to accept business for deliverv beyond March 25 at firm prices. Some interest is being shown in oatmeal and rolled oats and similar preparations in view of the approaching Beaf.-°nal demand, and in some directions ' t JV h .£ ueht . that ow| ng to the lighter WhM. ,k B oat market may harden. IT h 'L?„ th f, re , *najr not be any alteration m Ttriee it is quite evident that should an alteration be announced by the mills It will be higher rather than h?we? than current rates. In spite of the fact that greater supplies of onions are now commencing to come on the market there is little or no weakness in price. Owing to the dry weather indications are that production has been greatly restricted and a very large proportion of onions is more suitable for pickling. The market is expected to keep fairly steadv, although some weakness may develop within the next few weeks, but after the end of March it is considered that higher prices will rule. This week’s cable quotations from Colombo for Leylon desiccated coconut continue to show a strong market, prices to-day being 10s a cwt higher than those ruling in the latter part of last year. One of the northern factories dealing in canned meats has advised an advance in price of assorted meats and corned mutton. On the i2o* pack the tormer is up 34 per dozen and the latter 6q per dozen, and on the lj’s assorted meats show an increase of 64 per dozen, while corned mutton is is per dozen dearer. Recent quotations for Californian prunes show a slight easing and present prices seem to be attractive, especially in view of the higher prices ruling for dried apricots, which aro almost sure to result in an increased consumption of prune*. According to reports from Australia the crop of prunes there is a failure and it is thouEht that the Californian market will ultimately show some hardening in price. * The turpentine and resin markets are reported as showing some strength, w ith turpentine up 6d per gallon. From reports to hand from Melbourne it is quite evident that the pack of Australian canned apricots will be comparatively small and quickly taken up, and advice has alreadv been received that prices for apricots for shipment to London have been withdrawn and it is thought possible that j 1 0,18 to rCew Zealand may be withdrawn at shoot notice. The Australian dried apricot crop is also causlng a good deal of concern and merchants are unable to. secure bookings on slabs as these are not being produced in view of the fact that the American crop of dried apricots is repoiLte.d l _ t0 r, bo . only one-third of normal and the South African crop is a light one owing to frost damage, the present firm market for dried apricots is likely to continue. market at the moment is fairly stable, although there are indications that the Burma market will be a good deal higher than last vear. Australian mills are still accepting or /r£T B at Bat prices for deliverv order" tblrty ’ dv ° days of receipt of To-morrow being the occasion of the grocers annual picnic, both retail and wholesale grocers are observing that day as a close holiday. Wholesale Prioea Current. .Butter —Ist grade factory, booked Is lid lb net, cash Is Old: second grade factory, booked is lb net, cash lid; separator, cash. SJd. loCheese —Ist grade dairy. 6d lb net, Honey-—Bulk. 5d lb net. Bacon—Rolls is 2d lb net. sides Is OJd, hams Is 2d. ham rolls is 44d, cooked ham rolls Is 7d, cooked pressed ham roll* Is 9id. Lard—Bulk 6Jd lb net, pats Td. E f gs 77 lst « rade Is Id doz. net, 2nd grade (farmers) is. Grain and Produce. Cocksfoot and ryegrass prices have firmed still further on the Christchurch grain and produce market since the beginning of the week, and best Akaroa cocksfoot is now’ quoted at up to lOd. Up to 3s is now being paid for the best grades of perennial, Italian and Western Wolths ryegrass, and in all cases relatively lower prices are paid for the lower grades. Distributing demand for autumn sowing of these lines has been better than was anticipated, and the ryegrass market has been helped by recent export shipments. There is no change in w’hite clover prices, and supplies are plentiful. Tt is still too early for red clover to make an appearance. It Is anticipated that there will only be a. moderate quantity of red clover harvested in Canterbury. Offerings of milling wheat have j eased off slightly, but those lines coming forward have been taken up by the mills, the majority of which are still buyers. Flour price* remain unchanged, hut pollard has firmed slightly to £5 15* for local and £5 5s for shipping. Fow’l wheat is Arm at 3s 9d on trucks for near stations. Oats remain firm, but offerings are still fairly light. The threshing of partridge peas is in progress. and the quality is good. Values remain at 4s to 4s 4d, according to quality. There is no change in the barley market, although difficulty is being oxnerlenced in disposing of under-grado lines because of competition caused by shipments of Australian feed barley, which is being admitted duty free. A few early lots of linseed have been threshed, indications being that the quality w’ill be good; but the yields are rather light. Potatoes firmed slightly in the middle of the week, but to-day had relapsed to the earlier level of £4 10s. North Island inquiries have cased off slightly. Following are prices quoted to be paid to farmers on trucks at country stations, sacks extra unless otherwise mentioned:— Milling Wheat (new season’s)—February delivery: Tuscan 4s, Hunters 4s 2d. Pearl and Velvet 4s 4d f.0.b., sacks extra. Fowl Wheat—3s Sd to 3s 9d a bushel. Potatoes (April. May* June delivery) —White. Dakota and Sutton's, £4 10s. Onions—Prompt, £7. Ryegrass—Perennial Italian and Western Wolths, 2s 6d to 3s. Cocksfoot—Agaroa. Sd to lOd. Oats—Cartons is 10d to 2s Id. Algerians Is 9d to 2s. Duns Is 9d to 2s a bushel, according to quality. Chaff—f2 7s 6d. Clovers—White. 6d to 9d. Linseed—£l2 a ton. Partridge Peas—4s to 4s 4d. Bran—Local £4 10s. shipping £4 s*. Pollard—Local £5 15s, shipping £5 ss. Flour—Local £l2 12s, shipping £ll li.s with the usual increments for smaller packings. CSpecial to the "Star.”) ASHBURTON, Februarv 14. Milling wheat prices are as follows; Tuscan 4s 6d. Hunters 4s Sd. VelvetPearl 4s 10d. Fowl wheat Is firm at 3s 9d cm trucks. Oats—Garton A’s 2s, B’s is 10d: i Algerian 2s, Duns 2s to 2s 3d.