DUNEDIN MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 18

DUNEDIN MARKETS.

WHEAT, OATS, ETC. Friday Evening. The threshing of wheat out of stack continues in Otago, and the offerings, although now harder conditioned, vary considerably, and the percentage of milling wheat available so far is not satisfactory. The bulk of the wheat in Otago was sold forward, and those lines which are in good condition are being delivered to millers. The lines which have been rejected have to be placed as fowl wheat. Prices for milling wheat remain unchanged at 5s lOd for Tuscan, 6s for Hunters, and 6s 2d for Velvet, f.0.b., sacks extra, nearest port. , , . A feature of the Oamaru market has been the export of several thousand sacks of Dreadnought, mostly belonging to the pool, to Auckland. There is still some late threshing from the stack going on in the North Otago district, and yields oi Hunters have gone 60/70 bushels to the acre. There appears to be some difference oi opinion as to how the proposed new duties will work out. Theoretically the price of milling wheat was to be fixed at 5s 3d. f.0.b., sacks extra, South Island ports, and the Prime Minister has stated that the intention was that farmers should net 4s 6d on trucks for their wheat. However, certain authorities, working on the proposed new rates of flour, estimate that they will bring the on-truck price to farmers down to 4s 4d. Apart from this aspect of the position, if there is a heavy harvest next season —and it appears there •will be —the law of supply and demand will operate, and the farmer will then maybe have to accept a considerably lower price than 4s 6d in order to enable him to sei) his wheat. The fowl wheat market is very quiet. Buyers are fully stocked, and are not prepared to operate to any extent. As threshing is increqsing in the south, especially in the districts where the Tuscan variety predominates, and as this variety is not this season proving suitable for milling, the offerings for fowl wheat will also increase. The nominal value of the best quality of fowl wheat is 5s per bushel, sacks extra, ex store. This price is equivalent to 4s 6d per bushel, on trucks, country sidings. Millers’ prices for flour, etc., are as follow: — Flour: 2001 b, £l7 ss; 100 s, £lB ss; 50 s, £lB 10s; 25’s, £l9. Bran, £5 10s per ton. Pollard, £6 per ton. Oatmeak 2001 b, £2l; 25’s, £23. Although there are few inquiries for oats for shipment the local market remains firm, consequent on light offerings from growers. Only occasional lines are coming on the market, and where growers are prepared to accept current values—that is, 2s 2d to 2s 3d per bushel, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings for A Gartons and 2d less for B’s—sales can be made. Any lines that are clean and show weight are saleable to millers at 2s 3d. The stocks held by merchants are on the light side, but they are ample to meet the shipping demand. The local quotations for shipment are 2s lOd, f.0.b., s.i., for A’s and 2s 7Jd for B’s. Several parcels have been quoted at this price during

the week without finding buyers. The quality of the oats varies considerably. In some cases they are quite bright and sound, but other lines are discoloured and are graded accordingly. The value of undergrade is Is lOd per bushel, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings. The low prices ruling for potatoes have been preventing farmers from digging. Consignments, however, are still arriving, and these are being taken into store. There are very heavy stocks of potatoes for this time of year. The quotation in the South Canterbury district is £2 10s per ton, on trucks. This brings down the value of stocks in the local stores. The highest price now obtainable for potatoes in Dunedin is £3 10s per ton, sacks included. Reports from Auckland state that supplies are far in excess of requirements. The quotation for shipment from Canterbury is ruling at £3 2s 6d, f.0.b., s.i., without attracting buyers. The market is bare of stocks of chaff, but on the other hand the demand is only limited. Sales are mostly confined to odd lots ex the store at up to £4 10s per ton, sacks extra. Not a great deal of chaff is ready for cutting m this district, as the sheaves, owing to the late harvest, have not yet been stacked long enough. The local demand is being chiefly supplied from Canterbury, where some nice quality chaff is available this season. , , • . i All the seed markets are quiet and . merchants are not showing much intel est in stocking up for spring requirements. Indications point to a lighter sowing tins spring than last spring, which was considered a poor one for seed planting. The wholesale value of ryegrass in parcels of 100 sacks or more is 4s 6d to 4s 9d f.0.b., sacks extra, according to quality. Produce lines are quoted wholesale as follow: — , , „ Chaff: Good quality, to £4 10s per ton. ex store, Dunedin, sacks extra. Potatoes: Best quality, £3 10s per ton. Dairy butter: Milled bulk, to lOd per lb: pats, 9d. Bacon, 11 per lb. Hams: Ordinary, Is; boneless, Is Id per lb.

Onions: Canterbury, 7s 6d per cwt. Eggs: Stamped, 2s 3d; case, 2s 2d Pullets’ eggs. Is 9d per dozen.

Butter has eased by 2d per lb during the week. FRUIT REPORT. A quiet week has been experienced in the fruit marts. No shipments of overseas fruit came to hand till yesterday, when a line of oranges was received, being transhipped at Auckland. The fruit was in good order. The first Australian navels of the season and a shipment of lemons is due ex the Wainui on June 2. Bananas are again in short supply. A line of Rarotongan grown is expected in about a week’s time. It will be a fortnight before another cargo of Samoau is landed ex the Maui Pomare. Lemons are in better supply, but prices are still high. The apples coming forward are mostly of inferior quality, and these arc now accumulating in the marts. The demand is confined'to choice quality. Peaches are still on offer, but the quality is poor. Pears are in good supply. Outside-grown tomatoes are on offer from Christchurch. Well-coloured lines are realising satisfactory prices, but poor coloured and soft tomatoes have to be placed at low rates. Hothouse-grown tomatoes have a keen demand. Quinces • are in better supply and prices are easier. North Island-grown passions are offering at low rates. Locally grown grapes have a better demand. and Gros Colmars realise up to 2s per lb. —. A further shipment of pie melons is ex pected next week. Choice cauliflowers have a better de mand. A fair quantity of poor quality are coming forward, and these have to be sold at low prices. Savoy cabbages are now on the market Good-hearted lettuce are wanted. Poor quality are hard to place. Swedes, carrots, and parsnips are plentiful. . . Small lots of peas have been .arriving from the Peninsula and Canterbury. Good prices are ruling for lines that have not been frosted. Supplies of celery are arriving from Canterbury. The quality generally is excellent. Marrows and pumpkins are in short supply. Brussels sprouts are now on the market. Wholesale prices are as follow: — Apples: Cox’s Orange Pippins, 8s to 12s; per case; Delicious. 5s 6d to 7s 6d; Jonathans. 4s 6d to 6s fid; cookers, 4s Cd to 5s 6d. Bananas: Ripe, to 30s. Oranges: Islands, to 21s. Lemons: Californian, 50s per double case; Adelaide, to 25s per bushel case. Peaches: Crates, choice, IJd to 2Jd per

lb; cases, 2s to 3s. Pears: Winter Coles, large 2s 6d to 3s, small 2s to 2s fid; cookers, 2s to 2s Cd per half-case. Tomatoes: Choice well-coloured, 3d to sd; others, Id to 2d; local hothouse, 8d to lOijd per lb. Quinces, 3s to 3s 6d per half-case. Local grapes, lOd to Is 3d per lb; Gros Colmars, to 2s; Australian, 15s to 16s per ease. Cauliflowers: Choice, 3s 6d to 6s per sack; others. Is. Passions: North Island, 4s to 5s per case. Pie melons: Australian, 10s to 12s per cwt. Celery: Choice, 6d per bead; others, 6d per bundle. Cabbages, 2s to 3s per sack of 18. Lettuce: Choice, to 2s per dozen; others unsaleable. Potatoes, 4s to 4s 6d per cwt. Rhubarb, to 2s 6d per dozen bunches. Swedes, 2s per cental bag. Green peas, 21d to 4-Jd per lb. Carrots, to 2s” 6d per sugar bag. Parsnips, to 3s per sugar bag. MERCHANDISE MARKET. Saturday Morning.

The Narbada landed supplies of sago and tapioca, Indian tea, nutmegs, Singapore pineapples, Burma rice, shelled peanuts, and Indian lentils. The Wainui, on her next voyage from Melbourne, will land a shipment of Australian sultanas. It is reported that shelled walnuts are getting into short compass locally, and that prices have advanced in China. C.M.C. extract, in 4oz jars, has made an appearance on the market. Riverhead tobacco —No. 3 and No. 10 — is now in full supply on the local market. A new line on the market which should meet with a ready demand is “ Ozone ” tinned oysters. These are packed by Stewart Island canneries in a nicely labelled tin, and they should have a good sale, not only in New Zealand but in Australia and other countries. Horlick’s malted milk, just landed, shows a considerable increase in cost. Foster Clark’s packet soups have made a reappearance on the market. A parcel of Grecian currants will be landed via Australia in about a fortnight’s time. The market is at present bare of this line. The Kaimanawa landed a supply of sugar last week. The next sugar boat is the Waimarino, due next Saturday. St. George tinned whitebait shows a considerable reduction in price. Merchants are still being faced with many difficulties regarding the exchange rates, which are, of course, affecting the prices of all imported lines.