DUNEDIN MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 20

DUNEDIN MARKETS.

WHEAT, OATS, ETC. Friday Evening. Little business is being done in milling wheat. Occasional lines are still arriving from the country, this wheat having been thrashed out,of the stack. Some of these lines are being accepted by millers, but there is still a predominating percentage of under grade wheat coming forward. This is going into store, and will have to be utilised as fowl wheat. Millers are holding fairly heavy stocks of wheat, and it is now quite apparent that there will be a sufficient supply to see them through until the next season’s crop is available. Merchants are finding it difficult to dispose of fowl wheat to the North Island, consequent on the importations by merchants there of cheap barley from Australia and maize from South Africa and Java. Practically the whole of the poultry feeders in the North Island are being supplied from these importations, with the result, as stated, that there is very little demand for fowl wheat from South Island ports. Under normal' conditions this variety of wheat would have met a sound market. In order to effect sales of fowl wheat lower quotations are being made, but not much interest even then is being displayed. The present value is 4s lid, f.0.b., sacks extra, this price being equivalent to 4s 7d, sacks extra, ex store.

Some growers are meeting the market, but there is an inclination on the part of others to hold. Whether the latter are well advised remains to be seen in view of the decision of the Government

to reduce the standard quotation for milling wheat, through the sliding.scale of duty. The price to the farmer is to be fixed at 4s fid per bushel. In regard to milling wheat the market remains steady at the original fixed price of 5s lOd, f.0.b.. sacks extra, for Tuscan. 6s for Hunters, and 6s 2d for Velvet. The pool prices provided for an increment in the months of June and July and onwards, but millers are not prepared to pay this increment. Any sales* now being made are at the original prices. 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. Oatmeal: 2001 b. £2l; 25’s, £23. . Although there was some buying of oats from the south last week, there is not much interest now being displayed in the market. The demand from the consuming quarters is quiet, and only an occasional lot is being shipped from this port. Sellers are asking 2s lOld, f.0.b., s.i., for A Gartons and 2s 7id for B’s. but orders are only coming to this port from North Island merchants in cases where they are unable to secure lines from the Bluff. As lower prices are being quoted at the latter port millers are still prepared to buy heavy weight Gartons suitable for milling, and the market for these can be quoted at 2s 3d, sacks extra, on trucks, country sidings. For ordinary weight A’s the quote is 2s 2d and for B’s Is lid. A hand-to-mouth business only is being done in chaff sales of small lots of good quality can be made, ex store, at £4 10s per ton, sacks extra, but not more than £4 per ton can be obtained for truck lots, Dunedin. So far not a great deal of chaff is being sent to this market from the surrounding districts, the bulk of the requirements being drawn from Canterbury. Indications point to supplies of locally-cut chaff increasing shortly, as a considerable quantity of bags has been sent, into the Otago districts. The potato market is a dragging one. Merchants are finding it very dilfi cult to make sales, as the consumptive demand around the town is small. Foitunately consignments are not so heavy for the moment, but nevertheless there are large stocks of tubers in the Dunedin stores. Merchants are not inclined to reduce the current quotation, as this would not help the turnover. The price is nominally given as £3 10s per ton, sacks included, ex store, Dunedin, for the best quality. Other quality is practically un saleable. There is no change to record in the seed market. Practically no business has been transacted during the week, and it will not be until the spring demand commences that a movement can be expected in any lines. Reports from the north go to show that a fair amount of cocksfoot is being exported, and this has firmed up ideas of values by the holders of standard Akaroa seed. Both white clover and cowgrass are in short supply, and the market for these varieties is firm, with good lines difficult to secure. 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, lid to Is per lb; separator pats, lOd to lid. - Bacon, lid per lb. Hams: Ordinary, Ujd; boneless, Is OJd per lb. Onions: Canterbury, Ils per cwt; Melbourne, £9 per ton. Eggs: Stamped, Is 8d; case, Is 7d; preserved, Is 4d. FRUIT REPORT. A quiet time has been experienced in the fruit marts during the week. Retailers complain that the cold, wet weather has affected their sales to a marked extent.

Apples are in good supply, and the market is a little easier. A large shipment of navel oranges arrived ex the Wainui, from Melbourne, on Tuesday. These are offering at low rates. Australian lemons ar? also on offer at prices which cannot pay the shippers. An Australian orange-grower was in Dunedin during the week. He states that the cost of producing oranges and lemons runs out at 12s.pe r case, landed in Dunedin, and that the prices ruling locally at the present time cannot leave any margin of profit to the growers. An attempt is now to be made by the growers to ration supplies of oranges and lemons to the markets in *he South Island for the rest of the season. The Waikouaiti is due from Sydney in about a week’s time with a further consignment. of oranges, lemons, passions, pines, and mandarins. A small shipment of melons will also be landed from this vessel. Pears are still in heavy supply. Ouly choice samples have a market. Outside-grown tomatoes are finished for the season. Hothouse-grown have a good inquiry. Further consignments of Island oranges and Rarotongan bananas are expected to arrive via Wellington early next week. The Dunedin portion should come to hand about Thursday or Friday. Vegetables have been in short supply owing to the wet weather. Cauliflowers show an advance in price, but the prices of other vegetables still rule low. Wholesale prices are as follow: — Apples: Delicious, 6s 6d to 8s per case; Jonathans and Cleopatras. 5s 6d to 7s; Stunners, 6s to 7s fid; cookers, 4s to 5s 6d. Bananas: Ripe. 20s. Oranges; Island, 12s to 14s; navels, 10s to 14s. Lemons: Australian. 12s 6d to 16s case. Pears: Winter Coles, Is 6d to 2s 6d per half-case; small, unsaleable; cookers, 2si Poorman oranges. 12s to 13s per case. Tomatoes: Local hothouse, lOd to Is per lb. Quinces, 5s to 6s per bushel case. Pines. 14s to 16s per case. Mandarins. 12s fid to 15s. Passions: Sydney, 12s to 15s per case. Pie melons: Australian, 12s to 14s per cwt. Cauliflowers: Choice, 8s 6d to Ils per sack: medium, 5s 6d to 7s fid; others, to 2s. Celery: Choice, 6d per head; others, 6d per bundle. I Marrows, 9s per cwt. i Cabbages. 2s to 3s per sack of 18. Lettuce: Choice, to 2s per dozen. Potatoes, 4s per cwt. Rhubarb: Choice, 3s per dozen bunches; other quality. Is per dozen. Swedes, 2s per cental bag. Carrots. 2s to 2s Cd per sugar bag. „ Parsnips, 2s 6d per sugar bag.

MERCHANDISE MARKET. Saturday Morning. New Zealand Milk Products announce a reduction of 2s per case in the price of all sweetened and unsweetened tinned milk, baby size. The Port Dunedin, which is due to arrive here about July 4, is bringing supplies of English merchandise, some of which have been getting short on the local market. The vessel also carries a considerable quantity of Morton’s goods. A new line on the market is “ Jiffy Jel,” a preparation for making jellies. The Golden West, which is now on the coast, is bringing suplies of Californian seedless raisins, pilchards, Canadian flour, salmon, etc. The Wainui, which arrived last week from Melbourne, brought supplies of sultanas, all grades. The Wingatui is due on July 2 with a cargo of sugar. She will be followed by the Waimarino. due about July 7.