COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 May 1922, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

SOUTHERN MARKETS. By 'Telegraph.- -freas Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Practically all sections of produce are meeting with lifeless demand, tte exception being seeds and peas. Even in grass seed the activity of a week or so is less pronounced, but the season is now approaching the "off” period. Oats are lifeless. Quotations nominally are. to 2s 6d at. country stations for A grade Gartons and to 2s 3d for B’s. Cocksfoot has been sold for machine-dressed at BHd, and for August delivery at B%d. A small but quiet business has been proceeding round these figures. Cowgrass is quieter, and offers of lOd per lb. for medium seed to farmers are available, but holders of better samples are asking more than this. Sales between merchants for imachine-dressed have taken place at up to Is 2%d for August delivery. The general belief Is that there will be heavy sowing this spring. Peas are firmest of all saleable lines at present, and worth up to Ss 3d for good sample. Opinions vary about the potato outlook. At. present the market could not be much duller, but this is largely due to the nne digging weather during the past month or more permitting heavy digging, with the result that supplies are swamping the market. The bulk of the business has been done on consignment, to the exclusion of ordinary ordering, but as pitting is now proceeding the end of the consigning boom is In sight. Farmers will take out of tire pit only on sale, not to consign. The digging season is practically a month earlier than usual, and recent rain has given a short but nevertheless welcome respite from the deluge of potatoes that has been coming forward. Nominal quotations are £3 at country stations, but farmers are not offering.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London house under date 7th instant:— Tallow. —We quote present spot values for the following descriptions : Fine mutton, 41s per cwt.; good beef, 38s 6d per cwt.; mixed, 33s 6d per cwt. Market dull. New Zealand Frozen Meat.—Lamb 11 l-8d per ib.; wether and maiden ewe, light 7 3-8 d per lb., heavy 6 3-8 d per lb.; ewe, light 6 l-8d per lb., heavy 5%d per lb. Beef: No change, market slow. Last quotations May 10: Ox hinds 4d per Ib., fores 2%d per lb.; cow hinds 3%d per lb., fores 2d per lb.