Grocery Review

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 704, 2 July 1929, Page 10

Grocery Review

The Sun Office, July 2, 1929. The wholesale grocery houses have had a busy week, but orders for July account have now been delivered, and trade generally is somewhat quiet. A number of merchants have just completed their half-yearly stocktaking, stocks in many instances having been allowed to run very low, but replenishments are close at hand. 'J’HE wet weather experienced during the past week has greatly hindered all shipping, consequently goods which arrived per s.s. Hurunui and Cumberland are very late in being delivered. A new line of shredded wheat he.s just been introduced to this mar - ket and a ready sale is expected, as it represents good value. A wellknown brand of corned beef has been off the local market for some months, but a small shipment is now to hand and is being rapidly distributed to the retail trade. A popular packing of kippe.rs in tins, which was introduced to the trade some months ago, was quickly sold out, but further stocks are just to hand. The list of goods which have arrived during the past week includes shipments of the following lines: Bovril, dates in paper bags, whiting, bluestone, Chinese ginger, clothes pegs, and English Salt. The continued price-cutting of eggs by tho trade generally is causing considerable anxiety to poultry-keepers, and meantime the public is reaping the benefit of cheaper supplies. ALMONDS The lower quotations for Sicily almonds advised last week have been followed by still further reductions for both present and new crop supplies, prices having declined £3 a ton. The market is now lower than it has been for some years, but most buyers covered for their requirements some months ago at considerably higher rates. New season’s Jordan almonds are also being quoted at slightly lower prices but little business is passing at the moment. WALNUTS Manchurian walnuts are being offered for prompt shipment from Tientsin at about £8 a toil below previous quotations, but the offers have been made somewhat late, as most buyers booked their forward requirements, in both locally grown and outside varieties, some weeks ago. There is a grave danger of grub in any shipments of walnuts from China at this late period of the season, consequently the lower offers arc not of much interest to the trade. PEANUTS The local market is at present well supplied with Chinese peanuts in shell, and indent quotations are unaltered. Prices of Java peanut kernels remain firm for any prompt shipment offers, but a weaker position is indicated in the new crop for forward shipment, the rates for these being about £1 a ton lower than for present crop. DATES Prices have not yet been declared for new season’s bulk dates for shipment by the October direct steamer via Australia, and it may be some weeks before these come to hand. Business is still being booked -for the later shipments via London, but quotations for these are purely speculative. No advance has been recorded in these quotations so far. although the oilers made were considered very favourable to buyers, and considerable business was booked. The actual out-turn of the new crop will not be known with accuracy until about the middle of July, but, based on the prices at which the packers must buy the dates, there does not seem any room for a fall; in fact, a rise is much more likely, particularly should sandstorms develop in Busra during July. FIGS There has been little alteration in quotations for new season’s Smyrna tigs *t>r September shipment, the general tendency of the market, however, being for higher prices, especially in glove boxes and cellophane layer packings. As regards cooking figs, the demand is now chiefly for the better quality packed in 71b linen bags, and most of the business this year Was booked in this size. This has had the effect of lower prices for 2Sll> bags, which were reduced £1 a ton last week. SALT Cablegrams from Liverpool advise an advance of 7s 6d a ton in the price of future shipments of rock salt, but all other grades of English salt remain unchanged. PEPPER Reports from Singapore are to the effect that the market has already eased, and speculators arc in evidence with rates for the July/August steamer at slightly lower levels than are being offered in the Singapore market exchange. The crop reports to hand so far. are very satisfactory, both as regards quality and quantity, and unless unusual features such as heavy buying by America, or very large forward speculations—take place, local buyers should be in a position to cover for their requirements at considerably lower rates. TAPIOCAS The market for tapiocas is again weaker this week, both seed and medium pearl being quoted at f»s a ton lower than last week’s rates. On the present level the prices seem very favourable for buyers to book their forward supplies for shipment by the July/August steamer, but unfortunately most of the business lias already been placed, and only limited buying is possible at present. PIN EAPPLES Quotations for Singapore canned pineapples remain at previously advised low levels. Heavy forward sales are being made to the retail trade, and further bookings will no doubt be necessary before the sailing of the direct steamer. SPICES Latest lists quote nutmegs at an advance of one-eiglith of a penny a lb tor shipment, by the July/August, steamer. Prices of the new crop of Zanzibar cloves, which will not be ready for shipment until about October-November, are about fivepenee a lb lower than stocks of present crop held locally. There has been a steady decline in values of cinnamon, and it is anticipated that prices will further decline when the new crop supplies are available for shipment. OIL OF LEMON In svmpathy with a better demand from London and the Continent, prices of oil of lemon have again advanced. With the firming of prices, buying has now slackened off considerably, only a small volume of business for urgent requirements being booked. New crop prices have not yet been named, but speculative offers have already been made at about Is a lb below present rates. RAISINS The market in California for all grades of raisins remains very firm, but as higher prices are expected, considerable buying lias been clone for shipment up to September. Although prices for the majority of the new crop of Californian fruits are not yet advised, golden bleached raisins are being offered for October. November shipment from San Francisco at prices ranging from 3s to 4s a cwt above present rates. Jn former years this grade was usually ready for shipment in September, but reports from Frisco state that all the crops will be a few weeks late this season.