PRODUCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 43, 22 October 1903, Page 13

PRODUCE.

Wellington, October 19.—The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the following cable from the Agent-General, dated London, October 17 :— 4 The meat markets remain very flat all round. Mutton particularly is weak, the average price to-day beingCanterbury brands, 4£.d per ft ; Dunedin, Southland, and Wellington Meat Export Companies, 4d ; other North Island brands, 3id ; ewes, 3|d. The average price for River Plate mutton is 3|d ; Australian, 3^d. In the lamb markets prices are firm, the average price for Canterbury brands being 5d ; brands other than Canterbury, 4|d to 4Jd ; legs, 4|d. The beef market is unchanged. Supplies of American chilled beef are large, and are offering at low prices. The butter market is steady, but without animation. Strictly choice New Zealand is scarce generally. The average price ruling today is : Choicest, 102s per cwt , Danish, 114s ; Canadian, 100s ; Siberian, 91s ; Irish, 109s. The cheese market has been unsettled during the week, but closed steadier. Canadian is slow of sale at 54s to 55s per cwt.

Invercargill prices current.— Wholesale — Butter farm, 8d ; hutter factory, bulk, lO^d to ll^d ; pats, Hid to HJd cash. Eggs, 8d per dozen. Cheese (factory), 6^d. Hams, 9d. Potatoes, £4 per ton (bags weighed it). Barley, 2s to 2s 6d. Chaff, £3 per ton Flour, £10 10s to £11. Oatmeal, £8 to £8 10s. Bran £3. Pollard, £3. Retail —Fresh butter, 10, butter £3. Pollard, £1. Retail — Frch buttei, lOd , butter (factory), pats, Is l^d ; eggs, lOd per dozen. Cheese, Bd. Bacon, lid. Hams, lOd. Potatoes, 5s 6d per cwt Flour : 200 ft, 23s ; 501 b, 6s 6d. Oatmeal, 50ft, 5s ; 25ft, 2s 6d. Pol land, 5s (>d per bag Bian, 4s Chafl, Is ild.

Mr. F. Meenan, King street, Dunedin, repoits — Wholesale prices only— Oats Seed, Is 7d to ,1s Kid nulling, Is s£d to Is 6d, feed, Is 3d to Is 5d Wheat. Milling,, 3s lOd to 4s 2d, fowls' wheat, 3s to 3s 3d Potatoes Deiwents, £3 10s to £4 , seed kidneys, £3 10s to £1 l()s Chaff, £2 10s to £3 10s Straw : Piessed wheat, 30s oaten, 35s , loose, 35s Flour Sacks, £10 , 501 b £10 15s , 251 b, £11 Oatmeal, £8 10s PolUid, £4 Bian £3. Butter . Dairy, 8d to lOd , factory, lid. Cheese • Factory, 6^d ; dairy, 6d. Eggs, lOd Onions : Melbourne, £5.

Messrs Stronach, Monis, and Co. rcpoit as follows : Wheat —The market remains much as last reported, the business passing being small. Prime milling is weak, 4s to 4s 2d ; medium, 3s (id to 3s lOd ; best whole fowl wheat, 3s to 3s 3d. Oats —There is very little doing in this ceieal and buyers are averse to purchase even at late quotations. Prime milling, Is s|d to Is 6d , good to best feed, Is 4£d to Is 5d , inferior to medium, Is to Is 3d. Chaff —Best oaten sheaf is rather more plentiful, and medium and inferior most difficult to place. The former is worth £3 to £3 2s 6d, the latter £1 10s to £2 15s. Potatoes.— Best Derwents, £3 12s 6d to £1 . others, £2 15s to £3 10s.

Messrs. Donald Reid and Co (Limited) report as follows :—: —

We held our weekly auction sale of gram and produce at our stores on Monday There was a good attendance of buyers, to whom a full catalogue was submitted, but as competition was slack many of the lots on offer had to be passed in Values ruled as under . Oats.— During the past week a small export business has been done. Shippers decline to operate except to fill actual orders, and as these are not coming to hand freely, buyers have little difficulty in supplying their rev quirements, and at 'licevS a shade below last week's quotations. Quotations : Prime milling, Is 5 Ad to Is 6d , good to best feed, Is 4*d to Is 5d ; inferior and medium, Is to Is 4d per bushel (sacks extra) Wheat — Local stocks of prime milling quality are not large, but quite sufficient for millers' immediate requirements, and large lines from northern poits or railway stations arc not readily placed. Medium quality continues to move off slowly, but is not much sought after Fowl wheat is ofTering more plentifully at slightly reduced values We quote : Prime milling, 4s to 4s 2d ; medium to good, 3s 5d to 3s lOd ; whole fowl wheat, 3s Id to 3s 3d ; broken and damaged, 2s 6d to 3s per bushel (sacks extra).

Potatoes.—The market is more fully supplied with northern Derwents of good quality, and prices have suffered a slight decline. Seed sorts also have little inquiry. We quote : Best Derwents, £3 15s to £3 17s 6d: medium to good, £3 7s 6d to £3 12s 6d ; other sorts, £3 to £3 10s per ton (bags in). Chaff.—Prime quality alone commands anything like ready sale. Medium and discolored lines are a drug in the market, and almost impossible to quit, while inferior quality is also practically unsaleable. We quote • Best oaten sheaf, £3 to £3 2s 6d ; choice, to £3 5s ; medium to good, £2 5s to £2 15s ; inferior and light' £1 10s to £2 per ton (bags extra).