TRADE IN PRODUCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 737, 9 August 1929, Page 10

TRADE IN PRODUCE

PAPER DEALING IN POTATOES MARKET VERY FIRM Sun Office, 9 a.m. Potatoes continue to hold the centre of interest in grain, seed and produce circles. There has been a considerable amount of paper buying and selling between merchants over the week. | ie moment the exact position in regard to the potato market is ! almost impossible to arrive at. On the spot tne market has been favoured i with comparatively heavy supplies over the past fortnight, but these have either gone into consumption or are being tightly held., lor the most part by merchants anticipating or hoping tor a further rise m prices. The nominal market has been rising all the week with little actual business recorded; orders sent South have mostly met with the answer that sellers are unable to confirm and that the market is 5s to 10s higher. * Paper business has been responsible, to a certain extent, for a rather unhealthy tone in the market, and today, although high prices rule nominally, a slight setback in the market would not be unexpected in the near future. On the spot merchants ask from £ll to £ll 10s, through store. The position in the South is still very obscure, but it appears to have been fairly definitely established that there is a shortage down there. One report received in Auckland over the week is to the effect that statistics reveal that stocks are approximately J 0,000 sacks ; below those at the corresponding date i oi last season | The market for seed potatoes has j advanced slightly in sympathy with that for tables. but there are still ample stocks of the main varieties on the spot. Ample Stocks of Onions The market is now well supplied with onions, consignments of Japanese coming to hand at regular intervals. The quality is rather indifferent, and on this account some merchants would not be surprised to see a slight easing in price in the near future. Some merchants may be compelled to sell for what they can get, in order to reduce stocks. * The market at the moment holds firm at 17s (id a case, through store. Stocks of bran and pollard are short on the spot, and the recent advance in Australia is making importations rather difficult. Merchants ask £lO 10s through store for pollard, and £S 10s through store for bran. Cereal Market Firm Feed oats meet with a steady demand on the spot at 4s 6d .a bushel through stdre. A Cartons are quoted at 4s 9d a bushel. The market in the South is very firm. Chaff continues to give merchants a certain amount of trouble. The market is very firm in the South, and supplies of good bright chaff are hard to locate. To a certain extent the weather has proved a handicap to cutting during the past month or so. The price, through store. Auckland, remains very firm round £lO to £lO 10s a ton. There is little life in the maize market, and the wholesale price for Gisborne maize has dropped to round 5s lOd on the Auckland wharf. Down to 5s 4d on trucks is now being asked for the Bay of Plenty cereal. The recent advance in the market for fowl -wheat has been fully maintained, and it is now being reflected on the Auckland market, where merchants are asking from 7s 7d to 7s 9d a bushel through store. At the moment there seems every indication that the market will advance Id to 2d right up till the new season’s grain becomes available. As soon as it is possible to form an estimate of the new crop, however, there may be a change in the outlook, which will reflect on current prices. Heavy bookings continue to be recorded for top-dressing manures, but the bulk of .the deliveries will not take place until next month, as farmers, for the most part, are frightened of the weather. Produce Boat Movements The Kurow, from Dunedin and Tlmaru, leaves Lyttelton tomorrow evening for Wellington nnd Auckland, and is due here about Thursday next. The Wingatui, from Dunedin and Timaru. leaves Lyttelton tomorrow afternoon for Napier and Auckland. The vessel is due here about Thursday next. The leaves Auckland this evening for Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin and Bluff. The vessel will load at Bluff about Friday next. thence Dunedin. Oamaru. Timaru, Lyttelton and Wellington for Auckland. The vessel, is due here about August 20. The* Ivaitangata lifts cargo at Adelaide Today week, completing at Edithburs; Melbourne and Hobart, for Timaru, Lyttelton. Wellington and Auckland. The vessel is due at this port at /the end of the month. The Marama leases Sydney today, and is due here on Tuesda3' next.