Grocery Review

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 580, 5 February 1929, Page 12

Grocery Review

THE SUN Office, v February 5, 1929. Business with the wholesale merchants was exceptionally good last week, orders from both town and country districts coming to hand in good volume. With the opening of the schools this week, trade is now expected to continue on a steady basis, and with values for all our produce at satisfactory rates, prospects for the year seem particularly bright. Stocks of ! many of the imported grocery lines are running very low, as the demand for Christmas trade was heavy, and further supplies are not yet to hand. direct steamer from the. Bast

usually arrives early in January, but this year, owing to southern ports being visited before Auckland, the vessel is not expected here. until the end of this week. This has resulted in an acute shortage of sago, tapiocas and certain sizes of canned pineapples. The Hororata is due from London next week, with shipments or various English goods, which are urgently required.

Taking effect from February 1, a small reduction in the price of locallymanufactured jams is advised, also a reduction in the discounts for quantity orders from the retail trade. A new scale of selling prices to retailors have now been notified in connection with Sunmaid seedless raisins, these having been reduced by 9d pel- dozen packets. Prices of seeded raisins remain unchanged. ALMONDS

ci fail amount of orders being honir«a ~ son s supplies have met with little resome a time lld fnd a i ? ee t n polked 0 firm °for next P f Shipment up to . August NUTS An increase of 23 a ton in the quotations for Spanish Barcelona nuts has been notifled this week, with further advances probable. French walnuts a?e also dearer to the extent of <■ 2 ifw „ Chinese walnut meat is somcbi'esent, quotations for February-March shipment b'eing more favourable than earlier in the yea?. DATES It has been hard to follow the market for new season's dates this year Quotaohont 5° r Khar , dra wi quality 'advanced a “° at , os a ?wt about the end of last year, but prices are again easier iV,r tow'V s F i P n l ent - After reaching a very low level, Syar grade have now advanced about 2s 9d a cwt for March delivery, but second quality can still be obtained at a considerable reduction. There are ShLh 0n i 6 « fair-sized parcels' to be landed winch were bought when prices were more favourable, and some of these orders are due to arrive by the Hororata next week. Phis vessel is also carrying the first shipments of the new crop paperbag dates which are anxiously awaited. Latest advice from London states that further supplies of bag dates are now limited, and the market has advanced considerably since quotations were first named. CHERRIES Offers of French whole-drained cherries have been made at slightly reduced rates lor I ebruary-March shipment from France, but most of the business has been booked in English packings this season, as the preferential duty is in their favour. There is little aleration in quotation for crystallised cherries, further supplies of which will be landed via Sidney. TAPIOCAS There has been a small increase in the indent prices for both sago and medium pearl tapioca for shipment by the MarchApril direct steamer, with the market reported to be firm. Considerable business has already been booked for this shipment as the demand has been heavy during the past two months and the shipments arriving this week by the December steamer are limited. PINEAPPLES Quotations remain unchanged this week, but as Singapore shippers are now offering to book merchants' orders for shipment by the July-August steamer as well as the March-April shipment some thousands of cases have already been booked. One packer is now able to off elsecond quality fruit in slices, paced in 12>lb fiat tins and as prices arc over 3d a dozen below first-grade, a ready demand js expected. PEPPER

Following on the rise of over id a lb in the quotations for white peppers as advised last week, cables from Singapore notify a further strong advance m the market, an all-round increase of 13d now being asked for shipment by the April steamer. All indications point to prices for Huntok, Singapore white and black grades reaching a very high level during, the next few months. CITRIC ACID

There has been a steady inquiry for stocks of citric crystals this year, and as some agents for Italian manufacturers failed to deliver some of their contracts, a number of merchants have been short of supplies. Prices of English citric ncid have been slowly declining during the past two months, but the latest cabled information from London is to the effect that quotations are again firm, an advance of Id a lb being asked for both prompt and forward shipment. CREAM OF TARTAR

The market for cream of tartar has been,on a very firm level for some time, but offers made by one shipper at slightly under the current rate, have met with little response from buyers who covered for their requirements some weeks ago. The general opinion is that higher prices can be expected during the next three* months. SEEDS

Alterations in the indent rates for both hemp and canary seed have just been received. Japanese hemp seed has been reduced by 25s a ton, while Argentine canary seed is now 15s a ton cheaper than previous quotations. KAPOK

This market continues to show firmness and cables just to hand from Samarang advise a further increase of 3-8 d a lb for P.S. quality, with shipment offered up to April next. CASTOR OIL

Quotations now listed for the next direct sailing are very firm; in fact, business just sent to Calcutta was only acceptable at . 3 ,d a lb on list rates which gives indication of a rising market.

EGGS DEARER

INCREASE OF A PENNY

PULLET EGGS OFFERED Poultrymen are pleased. Eggs rose in price to-day, and auctioneers are having a busy time securing supplies in the required quantity. While last week hen eggs brought from Is Id to Is 5d a dozen, and duck eggs Is 2d and Is 3d, there was a sudden advance of Id at today’s sales. .Auctioneers are not certain that there will not be another rise this week, as there has been a marked falling-off in supplies and buyers are paying strict attention to the market. It all depends on Bertha, the hen. But—here is a secret—Bertha will have assistance in meeting the requests for supplies from Aucklanders. For the first time this season pullet eggs were being offered on the City Markets in any quantity.

BRITAIN STILL LEADS

COMMISSIONER REVIEWS TRADE MANY NEW INDUSTRIES (Special to THE SUE J WELLINGTON, Monday. “There is nothing wrong with British trade,” declared Mr. L. B. Beale, British Trade Commissioner, at a dinner in his honour last evening. -I have been behind the scenes, and I know that Britain’s share of the world’s trade is greater now than before the war. Many of the heavier industries have decreased greatly, but the losses are made up for by new industries. “We had the keenest of competition before the war, and were on top. Our position to-day is the same. Our economic position was founded not so much on manufacturing industries, as it was on our extraordinary ability to engage in commerce. We \Vere the first commercial nation of the world, and it was that great ability of ours which enabled us to trade in everything we manufactured.”

LONDON PRODUCE

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S CABLE

The Department of Agriculture has received the following cablegram, dated February 2, from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London:— Tallow.—There was no auction this week, owing to shortage of fresh material. The market is quiet and prices are unchanged. Hemp.—The Manila market is dull and easier owing- to the absence of buying interest. Closing value of “J” gra>- for February-April shipment is £37. Sisal: The market is quiet but steady. No. 1 is held for £43 10s, but in the absence of buyers the probable value is £43. Mexican is firm with moderate business in special brush at £4U 10s and good white at £37. New Zealand: The market is quiet and the tendency is easier. Closing comparative values for JanuaryMarch shipments are: Higlipoints, £36: fair. £33 10s; common, £3l; second grade tow, £22 10s; and third grade, £IS 10s.

Oats.—The market is very quiet. Fair supplies of English oats are still available and choice white feed is worth 30s to 31s, seed 32s to 345. Plate afloat is offered at 345, but no buyers. Value of Chilean for February-March and MarehApril shipments to Liverpool is 26s 6d. The nominal value of New Zealand ”A'’ grade Cartons for February shipment is 30s 6d. Pens.—English maple meets with fair inquiry, choice seed making 54s to 55s and lower qualities down to 495. New Zealand March-April shipments of No. 1 are offered at 645, but do not attract buyers, as old crop is available on the spot at these prices or less. Tasmanian February-March shipment is offered at 70s. Blues: Trading is quiet and is chiefly confined to Japanese and Dutch. No inquiry for New Zealand or Tasmanian. Danish Cocksfoot.—The market is quiet. February-March shipment is quoted at Wool.—Bradford business in tops and yarns is very slow. Present quotations for tops are: 64’s. warp. 3s lid; average, 3s lOd: medium and coarse crossbred is unchanged, but prospective buyers would probably get a concession ol id.

SOUTHERN EXCHANGES

YESTERDAY’S SALES Press Association Wellington: New Zealand! Government Bonds, li per cent., 1938, £100: New Zealand Breweries, bonds, 265; New Zealand Guarantee Corporation, Ss Sd; Taranaki Oil, 10s. Christchurch: Australian Bank of Commerce, 34s (two); National Bank of Australasia (£5 paid), £9 12s; Christchurch Gas (cum div.), 26s 4d; New Zealand Breweries, 57s lid (four); Beatli Company, rights, 7s «Sd, 7s 7d; Taranaki Oil, 13s (two), 9s (two); Mahakipawa, Is 2d (six), Is Id; New Zealand Breweries, bonds, 265; Kaiapoi Woollen (17s paid), 14s. Dunedin: New Zealand Refrigerating (con.), 7s lid; National Bank of Australasia. (con.), £9 12s Gd; New’ Zealand Breweries, 57s 9d; Westport Coal, 30s; National Mortgage, 90s.

AUCTION NOTES

C. F. Bennett, Ltd., will conduct a mortgagee’s sale at tlieir rooms, New Zealand Insurance Building, on Friday, February 15, at 12 noon, of a sound dwelling of five rooms and all usual ‘ conveniences, on a section, 44 x 138, situated at 53 Orakei Road.

BUTTER AND CHEESE

Amalgamated Dairies, Limited, advise receipt of the following market report from its London office, dated February

Butter: Anchor, 184 s: unsalted, ISSs; market still very quiet l , but signs of improving demand. Danish, 1925. on spot, Rocks . cleared. Deliveries of New Zea-

and, 1,588 tons; stock, 3,583 tons. Retails unchanged. Cheese: Market and retail prices unchanged (white, 91s to 925; coloured, 94s to 955).