SOUTHLAND MARKETS.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 30, 8 October 1920, Page 10

SOUTHLAND MARKETS.

The oat market is still in an extremely quiet condition, save for the local consumption and seed for sowing down. 'lJiese demands are depleting stocks, which were never large, considerably. Saies in the north have been reported at 4s 4d to 4s 6d which prices would not be considered by local mercbants who are still firmly of the opinion that stockg of oats locally are so small that before the approach of a new crop they will all be disposed of on the basis of the prices paid to growers. The position, of course, depends considerably on stocks held in other centres, but as far a3 Invercargill and Bluff are concerned stocks are nndoubtedly smaller than fcliey have been in the history of the province, For local requirementg the demand for chaff exceeds the supply. Prime quality i3 worth £7 5s on trucks, but owing to exceptional circumstances this price may be exceeded somewhat. The demand for ryegrass is decidedly steady , both in the retail trade for sowing down and with northern mercbants. The wholesale price ranges from 9s 6d for 28ib seed, to 10s 6d for heavy-weight, 321b and upwards. The bulk of the mercbants have little more that they estimate they will require for the demands of their retail trade. Ihe hemp market is also quiet owing to the impossibility of doing business with London at anything like satisfactory prices, High fair is worth nominally £33 on trucka, and other grades in proportion. The extra raiiage, due to the new tariff, affects the industry considerably, and though prices are somewhat better than they were a month ago there is no margin in the present prices to induce millers to opetraW

- During the past week the stock market has been fairly quiet, very little private business being dono, and the yardings ot sheep are considerably smaller than those ruling for a month past. This, of course, is owing to the ewes lambing, and veiy few are now coming for ward. Tlie weather is fairly mild at present, and this is helping the grass along, and with a continuance of fine weather there should be plenty oi grass in a fortnigbt. The store market is stili draggy, with a slight tend. ency to rise. A> last Wallacetown saJe there was a fair good inquiry for for ward three and four-year-old steers. Thin cattle are hard to sell, the old market for this class being practically dead. In this province the dairy cow market has gone fairly flat due to most of the dairy- " men being filled up, and dairy cows are back quite £5 per head on the prices ruling two months ago. ' Prices may be quoted : — - Fat Cattie.— Extra prime bullocks, £22 to £24; prime, £18 to £20; unfinished, down to £16 ; extra prime cows, £16 to £18; prime, £14 to £15 10s; unfinished, down to £9 10s ; extra prime heii'ers, £18 to £20;"prime, £15 to £16 10s; unfinished down to £8. Store Cattle, — Forward three and four-year-old bullocks, £12 to £13 10s; ordinary, £10 10s to £11 10s; 2^-year-old steers £7 10s to £9 10s; 18-monthers, £5 10s to £6 15s ; good calves, 50s to 70s ; weedy, down to £1 ; extra good factory springing heifer, £12 to £13 10s ; average, £9 10s to £10 10s ; inferior, down to £7 10s ; extra good dairy cows, £16 to £18 ; ordinary, £10 to £12; inferior, down to £8. i Fat Sheep. — Extra prime wethers, 44s . to 46s ; prime, 42s to 43s 6d ; unfinished, ! down to 38s ; extra prime ewes, 36s to 38s ; prime, 34s to 35s ; unfinished, down to 28s. j Store Sheep. — Extra good' mixed-sex hog. gets, 26s to 28s; average, 24s to 25s; inj ferior, down to 18s ; two-tooth wethers, in I fair condition, 32s to 34s ; average, 293 to , 30s; inferior, down to 25s; four and sixtooth wetherg in forward condition, 363 to 38s ; failing-mquthed ewes in lamb, extra good sorta, 28s to 303 ; average, 25s ; inferior, down to 20s ; four, six, and ' eight-tooth ewes in lamb, 32s to 35s 6d ; ewes and lambs, all counted, south-mouth. ed, 16s to 18s ; extra good, up to 23s.