Trade in Produce

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 393, 29 June 1928, Page 12

Trade in Produce

THE WEEK REVIEWED JUNE 29, 9 a.m. A further advance in the spot potato market has been recorded over the week. Values for onions are also firmer. The market for maize has a weakening tendency with the approach of the new season. STOCKS of potatoes on the spot are short, and the market has advanced to see through store quotations go as high as £9 10s a ton. Generally, however, quotations range between £9 and £9 ss. The Waipiata brought only a limited shipment at the beginning of the week. This afforded little relief as the tubers came to a practically'bare market and went into immediate consumption. A further shipment of approximately 4,000 sacks is due over the week-end. This, again, will barely carry merchants over until the next boat, due on the following week-end. One feature which has quickly made itself noticeable with firmer values is a slight falling off in the demand, small storekeepers, especially, not taking such heavy quantities at a time. Values in the South remain very firm at the moment and supplies are coming in very slowly from the country. It is hard to see .that there will be any easing in the market in the near future. Seed potatoes are going out of store on the spot slowly, but merchants expect a big increase in business next month. Ample stocks of most varieties are reported to be held by most merchants. Little Change in Onion Market Little change is noted in the position in regard to onions. Merchants appear to be securing supplies in small lots wherever they are available. A few consignments are still being drawn from the South where the market is slightly easier, owing to the onions deteriorating rapidly. On the spot. Southern onions are selling through store from 14s to 17s, according to quality. Inquiries made at Pukekohe go to show that very few are held by farmers in that district, buc isolated parcels still coming forward are selling through store up to 20s a cwt. though that figure is only being secured for special samples. A very small shipment of Melbourne, onions came to hand over the past day or so. The quality of the sacks opened up is fair, and merchants’ through store quotations for these range from IGs 6d to 17s. More New Maize Offering More is now being heard of the new season’s maize, and forward quotations have eased over the week. Actual samples, of good quality Bay of Plenty maize were oil view in Auckland yesterday afternoon, sellers asking 5s 6cl f.0.r., equivalent to 6s on the wharf Auckland. Apart from the fact that the cereal was slightly soft and would not stand much storing, it was of very good quality. The market for the old season’s cereal has eased to see best quality selling on a basis of Cs on the wharf. There is still a fair amount of inferior quality maize about which holders find difficulty in quitting even as low as 5s on the wharf. Merchants are inundated with quotations from Gisborne, offering the new season’s grain at 5s 3d for August-Sen-tember shipment. As far as can be gathered little business has eventuated. Pollard Prices Down The market for pollard is gradually falling. A fair quantity came to hand from across the Tasman during the week. This is being offered through store at £lO 10s a ton. A further drop in the Sydney market over the week to £G a ton f.o.b. should now allow merchants here to land that produce in Auckland at little above the local mill price. The Australian consignment this week came to a fairly bare market and mostly went into immediate consumption. Bran sells at practically unchanged rates, merchants' through store quotations ranging around 8s *Gd a cwt. Cereal Market Steady The wheat market is quietly steadv, with through store spot, quotations unchanged up to 7s 9d a bushel, according to quality. Chaff sells very slowly and, with ample stocks, quotations remain unchanged from £9 to £9 10s a ton. Further sales of A Gartons to England have been reported in the South and it is also understood that sales of Algerians have been made to Australia. Stocks in the South are very firmly held at the moment. Auckland merchants’ through store quotations remain unchanged around 4s 9d for B Gartons, and up to 5s 2d for A's. New Stock Food A new stock food has come on the market over the past week or so in the form or dry cereal meal nuts, prepared for pigs, cattle, and horses. An Auckland firm has installed a machine in which a correctly balanced diet of linseed, pollard, molasses, maize meal, and other ground grains is mixed and turned out in the form of cubes. The food, which certainly appears most palatable and nutritious, is being offered at £ll 10s a ton. This form of dry feeding has been in vogue in the United States and England for many years, and recently is reported to have become popular in Australia. It is claimed by the advocates of the method that not only is the food nutritious, but it is more economical, and. being dry and requiring mastication, helps digestion. Produce Boat Movements The Kurow leaves Auckland to-night for Southern ports, and is due back here in about three weeks’ time. The Waipiata leaves for Southern ports to-night, and commences loading produce almost immediately. The vessel is due back here in about a fortnight. The Katoa is scheduled to arrive here with a cago of Southern produce tonight or to-morrow morning. The Wingatui loads at Dunedin tomorrow, thence Oamaru, Timaru, Wellington, and Auckland. The Waitomo loads at Lyttelton tomorrow and Monday for Auckland direct, and is due here on Thursday next. The Kartigi, at present loading at South Australian ports, leaves Melbourne finally on July 4 for the Bluff, tlrence Dunedin, Lyttelton, Wellington, Terakahe, and Auckland. The vessel is due here about July 15.