FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Evening Star, Issue 20132, 23 March 1929, Page 23

FRUIT AND PRODUCE

Bray Bros., Ltd.,* report as follows ( for the week ended to-day :—■ Consignments-of chaff are still on the light side, but sales are slow. Prices remain steady round about £0 per ton for best quality. Supplies are coming forward from Canterbury, and only a small percentage from Otago Central. The oat market has steadied up. There is a better demand from buyers for forward delivery. Early in the season sales'were made, but owing to the low price farmers were not inclined to sell. Odd lines have been selling at & lOd (sacks extra), on trucks, for A Cartons, and IPs at 2s 7d. These prices are equivalent to 8s (id, f.0.b., s.i., for A’s, and 3s 3d for B’s. The quality of tho oats offering this season is reported to be good. The wheat market is steady. Odd lines of free wheat are reaching tho market, and millers are buying good quality at round about 5s 8d per bushel (sacks extra), on trucks, country sidings, for Tuscan, 6s for Hunter’s, and 6s 6d for Velvet. It is reported that the yields of wheat in South Otago districts are much higher than has been recorded for some years. Fowl wheat is still in short supply, but merchants are only buying from hand to month at round about 6s per bushel (sacks extra). Millers’ prices are as follows ; Flour.—-200’a, £l6 15s; loo’s, £l7 15s; sG’s, £18; 25’s, £lB 10s. Bran, £7. Pollard, £8 10s. Oatmeal.—2s’s, £25 10s: 200’s, £24 10k. The potato market is steady. The market is well supplied, and sales are only fair. Best quality is selling round about £6 to £6 10s per ton. Buyers are holding off from buying any quantity until next month, when the keep ing quality will be much better. The onion market is easy. Some fine samples have come forward from Canterbury, and these are offering round about 8s (Jd per cwt. It is reported that fair quantities have been shipped out of New Zealand, and inquiries liave been received from Australia. If these shipments continue it means that prices must linn. The egg market is steady. All lines coming forward are readily placed. Honey is offering freely. Some fine samples of new season’s honey are selling at 5d lb. Bee keepers are complaining at the low prices being offered for the season’s crop. Hams and bacon are in good supply, and the market steady. Cheese is meeting with better sales, and the market is firm. There is a good inquiry for old matured cheese. There is an inquiry for dairy pat butter and bakers’ mill butter.

Business in the fruit markets has been a little quieter during the week. Peaches, apricots, and stone fruit in general are now about finished. New season’s apples are coming forward in .larger quantities, and prices are moderate. Oranges have been in short supply, and American navel oranges are now offering at 40s per case. Tahiti oranges will be offering shortly. Bananas are in short supply, and prices high. The last Samoan bananas that came to hand were disappointing, and buyers have had to draw their supplies from Auckland, where quotations aro high. Tomatoes are still coming forward, and prices are irregular. Nectarines are almost finished Hothouse grapes aro now arriving freely, and prices are reasonable. Pears aro in good supply, and the market is well stocked with passion fruit, which has sold at low prices. Cucumbers are plentiful, and vegetables of ail descriptions are in better supply. The following prices were realised during the week : Section Honey. Choice, 8s Gd; medium, 6s fid; bulk, did to 4Jd; 101 b tins, 4s 6d; ilb pats, ds 6d; pottles, lib, 6s. Cabbage, 3s 6d to 4s Gd bag. Cauliflowers (wanted), 5s Gd to 6s. Carrots, 10s cwt. Lettuce, to Is Gd dozen. Kggs, Is 7d, Is 3d. Poaches.—Case, 4s Gd to 6s 6d; crated, djd to 4Jd lb. • Plums.-—Jam, Is 6d to 4s; dessert crated, 2id to 3ifd lb. Blackberries, 4tl to 7id lb. Capo gooseberries, 5s to 6s. Figs, Hid lb. Apricots.—Case, 5s to 7s case: crated, did to 4id lb.

Nectarines.— Case, 4s Cd to 7s 6cl; crated, 3;id to 4RI lb. Christchurch Tomatoes.—Choice, 4d lb; seconds, 2RI lb; outside, 2kl to 4d lb. Local tomatoes, 4d to 5d lb. French beans, 3d to 5d lb. Scarlet runners, Ijd to 2td lb. Green peas, 2id to 41-d lb." Potatoes.—Peninsula, to 6s 6d cwt; Canterbury, Outrarn, and Oamaru, os to Os Cd cwt. Onions.—Canterbury, 9s cwt; pickling, IDs cwt. Marrows, 9s cwt. Cucumbers.—Hothouse, 2s 3d to 4s dozen; outside, Is 3d to 2s 3d case. Rhubarb, Id to 2d lb. Grapes, Is Id to Is 4d lb. Apples.—Cox Oranges, 9s to 10s Cd; others, 5s to 6s; cooking, 5s to 7s. Pears.—W.B.C., 6s to 8s Cd; halves, 4s to ss; Conference, choice, 7s to Ss. Lemons.—Missions, 47s Cd. Oranges.—Snnkist navels, 47s 6d. Grapefruit, 37s 6d. Bananas.—Ripe, 32s Cd. Fat, 18s. Butter.—Pats, Is C]d; bulk. Is Cd; ■eparator. Is 3d. Bacon.—Hitchon's; Is Id. Bacon.—Odd lots, 9d to lid. Cheese.—Medium, 9|d to IQd. Peanuts, 5d Ib. Brazils, lOd lb. Bacon Pigs.—Prime, Gid; porkers. 7d. Oyster grit, 8s Cd. Pollard, £9. Oatsheafc chaff, £0 per ton.