GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11478, 10 January 1903, Page 9

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

(BT OUR CO__t__Cl_L EDITOR.) Friday Evening. It is stated by the New Zealand Loan and .Mercantile Agency Company, in their circular received from London by tbe mail, that the demand for New Zealand beans and peas continues at full rates, _nd a small parcel of New Zealand oats was recently sold at 28s per 384ib. There is flb New Zealand wheat qn the market. Oats, fine, are quoted at 27s to 28s 6d per 3841b, and common at, 22s to 23s per 3201b; peas 40s to ous per 50.41b, and beana 36s 6d to 39s per 5041b. The market for cocksfoot is now quiet, and will probably remain so until the turn of the year. Prices keep firm, and 161b seed is quoted by this company at 625, 17-181b seed at 65s to 66« per cwt ex store. '

Tlie interest oi merchants and farmers is now centred in the prospects for the coming harvest. The crops are all that could be desired, and tbe yields and quality of the grain should be exceptionally good. The unsettled weather causes anxiety, and a warm dry spell without too much wind would be welcomed.

There is very little business passing in grain and produce, millers only buying wheat very sparingly to. keep up necessary supplies. It is reported that a few large growers are still holding their wheat, and bo long as the weather for the harvest continues doubtful, they are not anxious to sell. - One line of 2000 bushels in equal quantities of Tuscan and Hunter's has changed hands this week at 5s 2d at a country station, and tbe same grower also sold 1000 bushels of milling Canadian and sparrowbill oats at 2s 9d, and these prices correspond with the quotations below. For feed oats there is still little or no enquiry.

The following are the current prices paid to farmers, free of commission, except where otherwise specified: — Wheat—Hunter's, Tuscan and Pearl, 5s to' 5s 3d at country stations. Oats (nominal)— Long feed 2s 6d to 2s 7d, short feed 2s 7d to 2s Bd, milling Canadians 2s 8d to 2s 9d, at country stations. * Barley (nominaj)—Feed 3s to 3s Id, at country stations. ' Flour (miUere' quotations) —Roller, £13 per ton. Pollard—£6 10s. Brani—£6. Oatmeal—-£l4 10s. Oatsheaf Chaff— -£A 2s 6d per ton, at country station.?, Dairy Produce—Cheese, factory, 5d to 6d, dairy. sd; butter, factory, local, 101 to lO.df North Island, lid, f.o.b. Wellington ; dairy, 8d to 9d for prime; salt (in boxes), 7d to 8d; hams and bacon, 9d to lOd; factory hams and bacon, |d higher, f.o.b.