MERCHANTS CAUGHT SHORT OF COCKSFOOT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 146, 10 September 1927, Page 5

MERCHANTS CAUGHT SHORT OF COCKSFOOT

market rises sharply INQUIRY FROM HOME Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. A keen demand has set in for cocksfoot. Apparently the wet conditions recorded in England were general over -Northern Europe, as the Danish cocks foot crop has been a very light" one, and this usually heavy source of supply to Zealand is not likelv to be available this season. The Danish quotations went up so rapidly that New Zealand merchants were caught unawares and there was a scramble to secure a share of local needs from stocks in store. Standard seed has gone up from 9?,d to llld a lb in practically a week, with little available. Danish is quoted at 105 s, or llld a lb, but as against this merchants in New Zealand who were holding stocks of Danish have been selling at lower money to quit some of their holdings. Actually, imported seed is fi'om a penny to twopence lower in value than Akaroa seed, but the policy of selling on-hand stocks of iinported seed implies that there is little chance of Darlish seed being imported. The price in Denmark is well above New Zealand parity. Prices to farmers are nominally 7d to 7£d a lb on trucks. Cowgrass is steady at the late quotations, namely, 115 s to 120 s per cwt f.0.b., s.i. There are still occasional inquiries from Home. Values to growers are up to lOd lb on trucks. White clover is lifeless. The wet season at Home has meant a great growth of white clover, a fact recorded in the English farm papers to hand. There is no change in ryegrass. Cablegrams received from England indicate that Irish seed can be bought at a slightly increased figure on the New Zealand product, and the better germinating quality of the former makes it better buying. Wheat remains unaltered. Oats are lifeless and chaff has slipped back in price, as a result of the advent of spring. The on-truck value is £3 a ton.