HEMP RETURNS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 803, 25 January 1910, Page 2

HEMP RETURNS.

The secretary of Agriculture makes the following report on the quantity of hemp and tow graded during December last : Hemp,—The total number of bales graded was 14,662, as against 9761 for the corresponding month of last year, an increase of 4901 bales. For the six months ended 31st December the number of bales graded was 44,201, as against 1 34,221 for the corresponding ' period of last year, or an increase of 10,280 bales. Worked out on a percentage basis the quantity of each grade dealt with during the month ;was as follows : —Fine 2.25, good fair 44.89, fair 46,26, common 5.01, rejected .55, condemned 1.02. The large quantity of “fair” as compared to “good fair” is owing to the fact that the difference in price of the two qualities is not sufficient to induce millers to strive for the higher grade, especially as mills are working at very high pressure. Present indications point to the probability of this year’s output being about twice that of last year, though, owing to the reasons above mentioned, the quality will not be so satisfactory.

Tow. Considerable quantities of tow are coming forward, and most lines show considerable neglect in the.“shaking.”

The market is very quiet; spo£ and forward contracts show a considerable decline on the values of a few weeks ago. Locally there were offers last week from to 10s for “good fair” and “fair” from to 10s.

In sympathy with the Home market Australian buyers show a tendency to slacken off.