TRADE IN PRODUCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 833, 29 November 1929, Page 10

TRADE IN PRODUCE

HEAVY TRADING IN POTATOES LOSSES ON ONIONS Sun Office, 3 a.m. Heavy trading in new season’s potatoes, principally from Pukekohe, has been one of the featur«s of s r ain, seed and produce circ.es over the week. Pukekohe growers are handling 1 orders from all parts of the Southern portion of the Xorth Island: Waikato and Wellington merchants buying ire&l y by rail. Limited consignments are also being sent to the South Island both by ra.il to Wellington and by direct boat through Auckland. The humid weather of the past few eeks has caused fears in manv quarters regarding blight, and digging operations are being expedited in manv ! districts. Heavy supplies have be“n coming forward to the marts over the past week or so from Avondale. Panmure, and other near- Auckland districts, and prices have tended to touch ; comparatively low levels for this time oi the year. It is interesting to note that at this time last year Pukekohe growers were experiencing difficultv in meeting orders at 15s a cwt on rail Pukekohe, while this week heavy supplies have been coming forward at j from £7 to £7 10s a ton on rail. In Auckland marts prices have been even easier as a result of heavy supplies trem local growers. Prices were decidedly firmer this morning owing to rain interfering with digging, and good quality tubers sold in the Marts in the vicinity of 13s a cwt. Pukekohe growers talked around £ 9 10s a ton for these for prompt delivery. Although one or two merchants still have odd lines of old season's potatoes which they have been unable to quit, trade in tiouthern tubers has ceased to : count as far as this season is eon- , cerned. Already orders are being sought for delivery from the South next year at a price which enables business to be booked up here for delivery to retailers ex the ship at £7 ilos a ton. Onions Giving Trouble The onion market shows little change on last week. The market is well supplied and there are large quantities of inferior quality sores which are causing a certain amount of i concern to holders. Several importers this year will be heavy losers. In this line also there is a big disparity in prices when this season's are com- , pared with those at the corresponding date last year. Today prices range up to 16s a crate through store accord- j ing to quality, compared with a firm : price of 27s lid a crate last year. Cereal Market Shows Little Change The cereal market shows little 1 change. There has been a slight faV ing off in the retail demand for maize with the advent of tho warmer weather, but the wholesale position is . unchanged, Auckland merchants’ through store quotations are sligh*lv easier at Cs 4d a bushel. Gisborne merchants are looking round for forward contracts at somewhere in the • vicinity of 5d a bushel in advance of I prompt prices, but Auckland rner- ; chants are not showing much interest. Oats are firm at late rates. B Gar- . tons selling through Auckland stores 1 at 4s 9d a bushel. It is now reported that heavier sup- ; plies of wheat are held in the Souih than was at first expected: overseas ' shipments did not account for the ! j quantity earlier reports indicated. 1 Through store, Auckland*, the cereal is j : selling at 7s lOd a bushel. ; Chaff remains very firm. selling • I through store Auckland at up to £ll j 10s a ton. according to quality. ! Ample supplies of bran and pollard [ are held on the spot. Bran sells at i up to 9s. a cwt through store, pollard : ! at up to 10s 6d.