Grocery Review

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 414, 24 July 1928, Page 12

Grocery Review

The Sun Office, July 24, 1925. Business with the wholesale houses has been quiet during the past week, although visitors from country districts who have been in the city for the Winter Show have helped the retai 1 trade somewhat. Deliveries for August account are to be made to-morrow and it is stated that the bookings for the new month are quite satisfactory.

A RRIVALS of goods from overseas last week included further shipments of Australian macaroni and vermicelli, which have come to an almost bare market, and both haricot and Madagascar lima beans, demand for which is heavy at present. A small shipment of Java peanut kernels just to hand is meeting with a ready sale. MEATS Advice from two well-known Southern packers of corned beef in 21b tins is to the effect that their supplies are now running low. but that stocks of mutton in all grades are ample for requirements. In direct contrast to this. one of the local canners is unable to quote for most grades of mutton, but beef is still available in all packings. SARDIN ES Latest advice regarding the market for summer pack Norwegian smoked sild states that owing to the failure of the fishing, prices have already advanced about 15 per cent, and sti'il higher prices are expected. RICE Australian millers have announced a reduction of £1 per ton in their prices of Australian-dressed rice No. 1 quality for shipments from Sydney after August 1. PINEAPPLES Reports from Singapore this week advise slightly lower prices for all sizes of pineapples, but owing to the fact that most buyers have already covered for their requirements by the August steamer, little fresh business has been placed. An interesting fact disclosed by figures just received shows a tremendous increase in the sale of Singapore pineapple during the last few years. In 1925, the total number of cases imported into New Zealand was 36,312, in 1926 about 45,000, while last year a total of 52,417 cases had been reached. Should this progress continue during 1928 (and there is every indication of this), it is estimated that this year’s importations will be in the region of 65,000 cases. This enormous increase is no doubt due to the greatly-improved quality of Singapore canned pineapples, the uniformity of which has been brought about by the recently-formed association. PEPPERS

This market shows a very much weaker tendency, but as prices are still comparatively high, buyers are holding off in the hopes of still lower rates ruling before the direct boat sails about the second week in August. SPICES

Both nutmeg and mace continue to decline, the prices now ruling being lower than has been the case for many years. ALMONDS

Owing to much speculation in almonds by overseas traders when prices were at the low opening' rates, local business has b-en restricted, as the market is now over £4O a ton higher than was the case two months ago. Information from London shippers, however, states that this increase, which has affected all grades and varieties of almonds, is not