Grocery Review

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 627, 2 April 1929, Page 10

Grocery Review

The Sun Office. April 2. 1929. With only four days last week to complete all business for the month. the wholesale merchants were exceedingly busy* and stocktaking had also to be completed before the holiday period. Taken all round, the first quarter just ended is considered quite satisfactory and attention is now being paid to a general replenishing of stocks which in many instances have been allowed to run down to a minimum. TjURTNG the past few weeks there has been a heavy demand for all grades of canned and. dried fish, including salmon, sardines, mullet, herrings, codfish and lingfish, and stocks, in many instances, have been greatly reduced. Cables from Montreal advise that owing to a general shortage of supplies, no shipments of Canadian clothes will be made to New Zealand until April or May, consequently stocks on the local market are likely to he short. The list of goods which arrived during the past week includes whole ginger, both bleached and unbleached, canned cherries, salmon, axe handles. South African jams and canned apricots. The Huntingdon from Liverpool is landing further shipments of English salt in all grades. BEANS Since the opening prices for haricot beans were named, a little over a month ago, the market has quickly firmed and although quotations at chat time were considerabl above the average ruling rate for new crop, an advance of £1 15s a ton has already been advised. This will not affect the business already placed, and it is now too late, in any case, to obtain further supplies as the direct steamer from Calcutta is now loading. With the price of new crop Madagascar lima beans ruling over 5 per cent, above last year's rates, it will be seen that the retail prices will rule much higher this winter than in previous years. GINGER

The local market has been almost Without stocks of Cochin ginger for some weeks, but the position has now been relieved by the arrival of the Maungamif bringing the first shipments of the new crop. The indent price ruling today is about £ls a ton above the rate at which the present arrivals were booked. CREAM OF TARTAR Cables from London shippers advise a temporary reduction of 10s a ton in the price of a well-known brand of English cream of tartar. As the cable states that an early advance was expected, and spread delivery could be given for a Umlted quantity, a fair amount of business has already been placed. PRUNES Although all information regarding Californian prunes was to the effect that higher prices were to be expected, particularly in the larger sizes, cables received last week from one of the largest shippers in San Francisco, offered all sizes at a reduction of about Is 3d a cwt. As these offers were for immediate shipment only, it would appear that these were special quotations and that no change in prices for forward delivery is likely. RAISINS Prices for oil-bleached Thompson’s seedless raisins and oil-bleached sultanas continue on a very low level, and rabies from San Francisco advise a further reduction of Is 3d a cwt. in each grade. There has been no alteration in either soda or golden bleached varieties for some time, but lower prices seem probable before long. JAMS Further shipments of both All Gold and Stinland jams arrived last week per Raranga from South Africa. As prices are unaltered from previous rates, the jam arrives to a receptive market, and a large portion of the shipment will go into immediate distribution. CANARY SEEP

Prices for new season’s Argentine canary seed have just been named, and compared with the opening prices of last year are £lO a ton higher. This market has been steadily advancing, and although no reasons are given for the higher figure. it is probably due to short supplies and a small crop. PINEAPPLES Business has quietened down at last, no doubt due to the fact that merchants have bought the most of their requirements for shipment by both the April and August direct steamers. Quotations remain steady at last week’s low rates. TAPIOCAS Cables from Penang state that the market for both sago and pearl tapioca remain firm. As the local merchants have covered for their requirements by the April steamers, little interest will be taken in this commodity until prices are declared for shipment by the August direct steamer. PEPPER The market for all kinds of Singapore pepper remains very weak, and prices have in the last three weeks declined over threepence a lb. Before the sailing of the last direct steamer quotations receded to a level about threepence a lb. below the rat© ruling to-day: consequently some buyers are still holding off in the hopes of further reductions. Several counter offers for fair-sized parcels have been sent up to Singapore at considerably under the ruling rates, but acceptance is not yet to hand. As the steamer is due to leave Singapore on April 11 there is now little time to get further supplies shipped. SPICES Prices for most lines under this heading remain firm, particularly cloves and pimento. On the other hand nutmegs are down to the lowest level which has been reached for some years. OIL OF LEMON "The price quoted to-day by one reliable Messina exporter of oil of lemon rules about 200 per cent above the quotations on offer at. this time last year. Under the circumstances only limited business is being placed, buyers being under the impression that lower offers must rule before long. CASTOR OIL Latest cables from Calcutta indicate* a sudden increase in c.i.f. costs, both half cases and drums of Australian thirds having advanced 3£d a gallon. Most of The business placed for shipment by the April steamer has been booked at slightly better rates than this. KAPOK After remaining steady for several weeks, this commodity has now definitely advanced and cables of the last day? notify higher c.i.f. costs for prime Samarang quality, totalling over Id a lb. above the rate ruling a month ago. Supplies in Java indicate that stocks now in hand are below normal for this time of the year, and as good business has be*»n done with Europe and America, shippers are holding for still higher prices. SHELLAC This market has remained at a very ■ teadv level for some weeks, and closed for the March-April steamer at a fractional advance on previous rates. Latest cables from Calcutta advise that the direct steamer is to load on April 2 or ■ . therefore no further business can be taken for this shipment. ENGLISH COPPER This item has again advanced » further £5 a ton. and prices are now 50 per cent, higher than those ruling six months ago. CHICAGO WHEAT (Australian and S .7,. Prcaa Reod. 9.10 a m CHICAGO, Monday. Wheat.—May, 1 dollar 19 3-8 cent* a hu~hel; July, l dollar 22J cents; September, I dollar 2 4 5-S cents. i