GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11499, 4 February 1903, Page 9

GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS

(UY OCX COMMERCIAL KDITOK.) TiR-sday Evening. The Melbourne wheat lias again, for va-ri ou« re;;suivs (says the "Austrulcumui," u<l Viinced to the same high level which it i\;ache< in November last. I'.ie quantity of Viv toriuu wheat arriving in town is trifling and the total from the beginning of the yea: to January 17th, was only 6718 againsi 290.988 bags for the correspcaiding peiiot hist year, in addition, Melbourne is beinj: called upon to supjxy the country, ordt-n U?ing received in town bofcu for local flom unci for imported wheat. Thus tha Melbourne millers are left entirely deptndenl upon wheat brought in from South Auiudliti or from abroad to supply their requirement. The South Australian market, however, has rapidly advanced, and seLtrs are not offering freely for shipment. Tha Melbourne mui'ket has consequently advanced to 6s, at which price moderate sales have been imde, including Victorian and South Australian wheat. Business has been done in the country at equal to 6s Id to 6s 2*d Mflbo nr,e. The lates priu:e advised ftorn Adelaide are equal to 6s Id '.wnded in Melbourne. Tlie «x»t of importing from Suu Francisco has advanced fiom 4s 2d to 4s 4d c.i.f. for olioioe milling, the latter prioe bving equal to about 5a 5d duty paid und delivered in Melbourne. A lino of old wheat has been under offer during the w«.'k, but failed to change hands at tilw price asked- There ie no new wheat yet on the market, but the line weather now prevailing should bring on the harvest. There is a decline of about one penny per bnehei in the ou,t« market in consequence of offerings being plentiful and the difficulty of -electing sales outside at the late rates. Tie "AustiTiilasiun" reports that "a coneiderable forward business has been done in new crop Now Zeu'.and oot«r for consumption by Melbourne millers, at 2e 6Jd f.o.b. for li grade, to which must be addtd about Is por bushel for freight, duty, etc." Tiii* notloubt refers to the oats that have bs*n purchased here during the past week or two. Our Southland correspondent writes that lost week 2600 eacks of oats (old crop) were shipped coastwise, and 2000 sacks to Melbourne. There is a considerable quantity of barley, both malting and Gape, now coming ionnvrd, but growers are not vet inclined to aoce.pt the offers made for malting. One small line lias changed hands at 3s 3d at a country station. For Cape barley 2e 3d •has been paid. The recent wet weatlier has checked the offerings of.grass seed, and few sales have been made during the lost few days. The following are the current prices paid to farmers, free of commission, except where otherwise specified : Wheat (nomiiwiil—Huntere Tuscan and Pearl, 5s to 5., 3d, at county stations. Oata .(newJ-Mfliimj, 2s; Short Feed, Is lid; Duns, Ls 10d; Banish, Is 9d, at coUntry stations, for February delivery. Barley-Prime Malting, 3s 3d; Cape, 2s od, ntcountrvetatJon*. Flour (millers' quotations)—RoKer £12 per ton. ' Polliird—£6 10s. Bran— £6. Oaf.meal—£l4 10s drfivered '" ITegrafis 3s to * 3 d ' factory, 5d to Od,, dairy sd; butter, factory, local IOAd-