COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17693, 2 August 1919, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Offioe, Friday evening. lui«jpefun crop reports received by the L-on-CjOu beed, and Oil Repori-ecr of May 16 st'&te that climatic conditions in ITranco luvvo improved as much. as in l&ng,iun<L Fieldwork was being pursued actively, but tho delay in sowing spring wheat could not bo retrieved', and much of tho land intended for wheat would be pinnated with oats, biurley, or buckwheat. Tlhe winter whoat crops in Italy aro xtiguraed as quite up to the average as to condition, and. though the wheat acieage on tho whole may be a wry iittls bolow lust yoaar's, tho toial wheat yield promises to be about up to that outturn, Jii tho United •Kingdom the weather recently had been all that could bo desired af tor the- long, wet winter. There has been nothing to hinder and tho chief difficulty is that it too late in the season for planting so mo . cro P s - T*he estimated quantity of wheat in all hands in Canada at March 31 was upwards of 117,739,000 bushels, compared with 77,000,000 bushels at tho corresponding t:ane a year ago, Millers aro not showing any interest in the wheat market, as they aro holding hoavy eljocks. It is, therefore, difficult to place lines o:f milling quality now offering by growers, a;ad only porime samples find an outlet. Fowl wheat is moving off slowly at 6s per bashed, sacks extra, ex store. New Milling Wheat.—According to Government prico: South Island, 65 Bd, f.0.b.., sacks extra (plus l£d brokerage and .Government commission); North Island, approximately equivalent to 7s (plus brokerage and Government commission). .Prioes of miLlers' linos are as follow: — Flour, £14 10s; bran, £G 10s; pollard, £8 10s; poarl barley, £25; oatmeal, £25. Millers are showing a little more interest m the oats market, but inquiries from tho nortli are not plentiful. .Reports from' tho north, in fact, state that the market there is very quiet. Some sales have been mtadfo at 3s lOd per bushel, sacks extra, on trucks. Growers, however, are not showing any keenness to soil undor 4s on trucks. There is a good demand for seed oats for delivery when, required in the spring. It is_ reported locally that now that the restrictions on the imported carts into the United Kingdom have been lifted parcels from New Zealand might bo forwarded to that market. The froight to the United Kingdom is, however, over 4s a bushel, and a© til'? price in the United Kingdom is 7s 6d th*r© is not a great margin of price left for tiu'2 shipper—about 33 5d f.0.b., e.i. equivar lent to, say, 3s at _ country sittings. Moreover, there is no freight available at present, though towards the end of the season space might be obtained. A substantial reduction in price would nooessarily have to he named, bafore business could be done from this end.

PRODUCE REPORT. The. demand for chaff has eased off, and as supplies are heavy prices show a further decline. Full value to-day for good quality is £7 to £7 5s per ton, sacks extra. Cutting has been general in the country, but now that the weather has broken local stocks should be worked off. Consignments of potatoes are light, and a further advance in price has been recorded, txood quality are selling at £10 10s saclcs included, ex store, and unless supplies higher prices oan be looked for. iSoth oaten and wheaten straw are in good demand at £3 10s and £3 5s per ton respectively, ex truck, Dunedin. Onions have advanced in price. Supplies ore not too plentiful. Eggs show an increased cost. *airy butter is scarce, and prices remain very arm.

Current wholesale prices are as follow: — r owl wheat, 63 per bushel (sacks extra). Eotatoes, £10 10s, ex 6tore, Dunedin for good quality. Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf, £7 to £7 ssmedium and poor quality, £6 5s to £6 15e. ' Onions, to 163 per cwt. Oaten straw, £3 10s; wheaten, £3 53. Eggs. Stamped, 2s id; ordinary. 2s 3d Butter.—Milled, bulk, best, Is 5d to Is sidseparator pats, to Is Cd. ' Margarine, Is per lb. jsaconers, 9d to 9|d per lb; porkexs, I „^ n r L ? t f l 18 S^d P er lb ; tarns, la -aCI, local ham rolls, 3a 4d to Is 4Jd. FRUIT REPORT. Business has been fairly quiet in the marts duiijtg the week, supplies of fruit being * Moajia . due at Wellington tomorrow (Saturday), may possibly bring both Island and American oranges, also a few lines of American lemons. The next Fiji boot from Suva—the Talune —is due to arrive in Auckland next Thursday. Tie Mokoia will leave Auckland two days before the arrival of the Talune, and it may therefore be some time before the bananas carried by the TaJune can reach this market. A parcel of Raroionga bananas may be, on -the Moana, and these will no doubt be brought by one of the ooastal boats. Piratically only apples and bananas are on tn© market at the present time. Tie pncEs for both fruits remain Supplies of vegetables are not'plentiful, and tairly high prices rule for all lines con, fflg forward.

Current wholesale prices are as follow — Apples.—Delicious, firsts, to Cd per lbseconds, 4sd to 4|d; Statesman, lis to 13sDemocrats, 12s to 13s 6a; Stunners, 15s cookers, 2Jd to 3d per lb. Oranges. — Poornrans for marmalade medium size, 14s to 15s; large, 17s to isi per case.

Bananas, 22s to 31s per oase, ripe. Cabbage, 4s to 7s per dozen, sacks, best," to 9s, others, 2s to ss. Cauliflowers: Medium, 4s to 6s per dozen; prime, 8b to 12s per dozen; sacks, 10s to 15s. Carrots, Is to Is 6d per dozen bunches; email bags, to 3s Gd Tier bag; nocks, £7 per ton. Sw«los 2s 6dl to 4s P 0 ? hag; sacks, 5s to 5s 6d. Potatoes.—Local, 10s to lis per cwt. Rhubarb, 7s to 6s per dozen bunches. Celery, Is to Is 6d per bundle far beet; mecL.um, 8d to lOd.

Brussels sprouts, 7s to 9s 6d per box. Parsnips, 2s to 3s per case; 3s 6d to 5s per l>ag.

MELBOURNE MARKEfTS. P'CSIJ Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. „ , ' 'MELBOURNE, August 1. ' rsarley: English malting, 4s 6d to 4s 9d.CaaP!',4;- . Milling Algerians', lid to ss; feed, 4s 9d to 4s lOd. Potatoes £18 to £13 10s. Onions, £17 to £18.

CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS. (Per United Press association.) CIIIIISTCHITItCH, August 1. The local grain and products liuurkotf. are dcsnribctl by merelumla as very dull on the whole. Very little oC anything is offcrit 7 from tho country, nnd the present position of matters on tho railways-is generally luunpering business.

Thoro are no changos to note in oats, and prioca are still nominally about 3s Od to 4s at country stations. There is some inquiry for seed Gartons, and it is evident that thore will be a fairly heavy spring sowing of this variety. The chaff marhert is dull, for while there is plenty now available there is little demand. Tho price is now about £6 1o £6 5s at country stutious, for prima quality. The potato market is easier, and although the general opinion is that there is no more than will bo required for consumption until tho new crop comes in tho automatic restoration of the embargo on the shipment of potatoes to Australia has eased the position. It is stated that shipments have been in<ado from Wellington to Australia, but through the absence of freight there has been no shipping direct from tho South Island. The present price is variously quoted at £7 10s to £8 at country stations, but the higher figuro would 'probably bo paid for only prompt delivery. _ A fair quantity is now offering. There is a good inquiry for seed potutoes, ©aily varieties being worth. £10 to £10 10s, and main crop kinds from £0 to £5 53 at country stations. Red clover is firmer, and is now Kjuotod jU Is 6d to la 6J-d at country stations, .thrashing 19 now practically completed, and most of the seed is in morohanto' hands. Vuntc clovcr is unchanged at Is 3d to Is 4d!.

Peas are still in good demand, and prices have hardened. Partridg-e are now quoted at 7s to 7s 6d at country stations. White ivories O3 to 0s 6d, r suud boiling varietdos 10s 6d and lis.

There are no beans on offer. The price is nominally 7a to 7s 3d at country stations. 18 nothing like the quantity of bea.ll3 Jiow grown in Nbrtb Canterbury that there was m pasty years, when there waa a greater demand for loose feed.

Scott Broa., produce merchants and commission a.gent 3, report:— Eggs, 2s 3d to 2s 4d per dozen. Butter: Pats (scajoe), is 6d; bulK, milled, Is 7d; separator, Is 7d per lb. Honey: Prime clovcr, bulk, 8d per lb; 10lb tms, 83 eaoli; sections, 6d. Beeswax, 2s per lb. ioultry: Wanted; cockerels, 7s; liens, 5s per pair; ducte, 7s; geese 9s per pair; gobblers, lljd per lb; -liens, lid per lb. Pigs: Prime baconers, OJd to Old per lb; porkers, 9Jd per lb; overweight, 4d to 7d pei- lb. Hams, la »d per lb. Bacon, Is 3d. Potatoes: Firmer £9 10s to £10 per ton. Onions: Caatorbarys, £16 per ton. Chaff: Prime f 5s +on; medi um quality, £6 to £6 10s per ton, sacks extra. Oats: Quiet; Gartons, 4s 2d to 4s 3d per bushel; busi<>1 ' ex sacks extra. Fowl wheat, 6s 6d peT bushel, ex store, sacks extra. Straw: Pressed wheaten, £3 10s, oaten., £3 15s per ton.