SOUTHERN PRODUCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 28 May 1927, Page 5

SOUTHERN PRODUCE.

POTATO MARKET BRISK. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Generally there is a firm feeling in the-grain and produce trade. Values inmost. cases are below the cost of production, and when such is the case the. way is ready to meet any sudden demand that may develop. , The briskest trade at tli e moment is in thp potato section. To-day., prompts for next week’s boat are worth £3 5s a ton on trucks, and June’s have been sold freely at £3 10s. The f.o.b, S.I. sales have been on a basis of up to £4 12s 6d. Not much wheat is changing bauds at the moment. Round about 5s 6d a bushel on trucks is being paid by millers operating. The latter, however, are a small section of the milling fraternity. As a whole pats are inclined to be weaker, though A Gartons are quoted at Lyttelton up to 3s 51d, and South Island ports 3s 44d. The actual oats are not offering to any extent. B’s are worth 3s Id to 3s 2d f.o.b. 5.1., or 2s 5d on trucks; A’s 3d more. Farmers are not. crowding the market at the values prevailing, and the shortage of winter feed for stock and the inevitability of hand-feeding having to be resorted to is . discouraging offers at present quotations. Chaff is in. sound demand at £3 10s a ton on trucks. Peas soared to unusual heights on account of the scurry round by oversellers to fill the last boat, and up to 9s lOid a -bushel was paid. The market lias since come back to 9s od. iHow*ever, forward business lias still to be covered, and the June requirements

may cause another plunge in the market. To-day’s value is far above London parity. All classes of seeds are held firmly, but there is little inquiry.