Grocery Review

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 522, 27 November 1928, Page 12

Grocery Review

The ’Sun Office, November 27, 1928. wholesale merchants are experiencing an exceptionally r busy period at present and staffs ! have had to do a considerable ■ amount of overtime to cope with the business received. Bookings for December account are very heavy and the steamers from both Sydney and Melbourne have landed a great variety of seasonable lines, many of which have been sold for delivery direct from the wharf. The chief item of interest was the arrival of the new season’s Smyrna figs in glove boxes, cellophane packets and bags, bsit owing to the quantities just to hand being smaller than usual, it is anticipated that there will not be sufficient for the Christmas trade. Limited quantities of Smyrna sultanas have just been landed, and are meeting with a good demand. Other welcome arrivals by the Marama and Kairanga include a belated shipment of new season’s Jordan almonds, also further quantities of desiccated coconut, Australian currants, sultanas, canned fruits, macaroni and arrowroot. The former vessel also brought transhipments of Chinese peanuts, walnut halves and a considerable quantity of South African jams. The Golden Cloud, which is due to-day from San Francisco, has all the new season’s raisins, muscatels and prunes on board; and this completes the arrival of all the Christmas goods, with the exception of the new dates, which are expected in a week or two. The firmness of all overseas markets continues, general grocery and foodstuff lines, with few exceptions, being quoted on a much higher level than was the case at the beginning of this year. CREAM OF TARTAR Following the information that prices for English cream of tartar were likely to advance, cable advice has been received from London that shippers are advancing their quotations - for 99 per cent, grade by £3 a ton for spread shipment up to next March. It is stated that the market is still very firm and further advances are to be expected before long. ACIDS No change in the price of tartaric acid has yet been cabled, but as this line usually moves in sympathy with cream of tartar, indent values are expected to increase in the near future. The local market will not be greatly affected, as several fair-sized parcels are held for the summer trade. Stocks of citric acid are very short at present and are commanding higher prices but further quantities of Italian make which are due next month will relieve the position. ALMONDS After declining over £ls - a ton during the past three weeks, Sicily almonds have again advanced. Cable advice to hand last week stated that business could not be accepted at original quotations, but shippers required £7 10s extra. Supplies are short locally, and the fi?st of the new crop will not be here for a week or two yet. NUTS Prices of all grades of Brazil nuts con-_ tinue to advance and cables just received* from London notify that prices are now £5 a ton higher for prompt shipment. As merchants ordered fairly heavily when quotations were favourable, stocks on hand should be ample for requirements until the new season’s are available. Barcelona nuts are also very firm, with higher prices likely to rule before the end of the year. CURRANTS The local market has been very short of currants for some time, but the supplies on the Kairanga will replenish stocks. As no further quantities can be obtained from Australia until next season, considerable attention has been given to Greek currants, and information has just been received to the effect that prices for both cleaned Amalias and Patras grades have advanced 6d a cwt, with higher prices likely to rule. PEANUTS Chinese peanuts in shell are very short at present and supplies of new season’s nuts are anxiously awaited. The acute shortage in Java kernels has been relieved by a further arrival of supplies from Sydney last week. The forward market remains firm with c.i.f. quotations unchanged; but as shipments cannot be made before December, the present arrivals will have to suffice for the trade offering until about th® middle of January. JAM A small shipment of South African jam in three varieties only has now reached this market, but owing to the popular demand, practically the whole quantity has already been sold. Further supplies will not be available until the new pack is ready for shipment, probably in March. CHERRIES Supplies of French crystallised cherries are very limited at present, and owing to the increased cost are being sold at much higher prices than usual. Drained cherries hfcve been selling freely, but stocks are now getting low and future arrivals will land at higher rates. Cables from London shippers advise a very firm market for all grades of French cherries, with a slight increase in the price of 1 broken cherries in tins for prompt shipment. PIN EAPPLES All kinds of canned pineapples are meeting with a strong demand and the heavy stocks which were held some weeks ago are being rapidly depleted. The next direct steamer from Singapore will not arrive until about the middle of January, but it is anticipated that present supplies will be sufficient for all requirements until the vessel’s arrival. Prices are slightly firmer this week, but most of the business for the above shipment has already been booked. PEPPER Contrary to expectations, the market in Singapore advanced suddenly and shippers were asking Id a lb more than the previous week. However, prices did not hold for any length of time and quotations are now back to the former level. This has left buyers rather undecided whether to operate immediately or nold off until more definite information is to hand. OLIVE OIL Prices for the present crop of olive oil are slightly easier, but chief interest will be shown in the opening quotations for the new pack, which should be available about the middle of next month. SARDINES Quotations have now been made for English brisling in 41b tins, but present indications are that only small orders' will be placed for this grade of fish. Although earlier advices stated that supplies of Norwegian smoked sild were likely to be short this season, it would now appear that considerable quantities will be available for shipment to this market.