472 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



THE OVERSEA MARKET. 



MaKKKT riacKS OF SOLTII AfHICA.N ASU OTUER i'K()lJU(E CA1!L1:D 13V 



THE Trade Commissioner, London, o.x ttik, 9tii April, 1921. 



Wuul. — At the sales -which opened on the Gih Aprii, the offerings oi the 

 Australian Wool Growers' Association were witlidrawn owing to the reserv(> 

 I'l-ice noo being reached. Private sales of wool coiitinne. At the date of 

 (.■il)ling there were no sales of South African woof, the bidding for Merinos 

 heiiig from 10 per cent, to 20 per cent, lower than at the previous sales, while 

 liic deniaiid for cross-i)reds was i)oor, showing a decline of from 5 per cent, to 

 I'J per cent. Continent, wool, c.i.f. German j)orts, superior greasy, V2 months. 

 2>. lOd. ; good, 10 to 12 montiis, 2s. 5d. ; suiierior, (j months, 2s. IJd. 



Mohair. — There were no transactions. 



Bacon. — The folloAving prices are quoted, per cwt. (112 lb.) : Dauisli. £{). los. 

 to £11; Canadian, £7. 10s. (id. to £8. 10s. 6d. 



(Jhcese. — Prices at per cwt. (112 lb.): New Zealand, white, £7. 2s. to 

 £7. 4s; coloured, £8. to £8. 2s. 



Batter. — The following prices are quoted per cwt. (112 lb.) : New Zealand. 

 £13. 6s. to £13. 10s.; Australian, £12. 8s. to £12. 10s. 6d. ; Argentine, £12. 4s. 

 to £12. 12s.; Danish, £12. l(js. to £14. Butter is being retailed at from 2s. 6d. 

 to 2s. 8d. per lb. 



Maize. — Prices are easier owing to the La Plata maize crop. For South 

 Airicaii maize the following ])rices are quoted: No. 2 White Tlat, 38s. to 39s.: 

 I^alnd Yellow No. G, 43s. (per quarter of 480 lb.), April shi])ments. There is 

 Mil demand for forward shipnu-nts. 



Oatr'icli Feathers. — The market remains (tuiet pending the forthcoming sales. 



Meat. — All exported meat now free from control prices: wholesale and retail 

 market is overstocked owing to supplies diverted from the Continent. 



Cotton. — Closing prices on 7th April: American Fullv Middlings, Apri^. 

 7.51d. ; May, 7.67d.; July, 7.87d. ; October, 8.09d. per lb. ' 



CROP REPORT. 

 March, 195?1. 



Maize, in last nKinlli's .laiirnal it was shown that tiic area uiidi'r nmi/.c 

 1his year Avas estimated to be .") per cent, less than that of last year, and that 

 litis decreased acreage was estimated to [troduce 13,972,500 bags if the season 

 proved to be an ortlinary favourable one. The crop, as at the 31st March, 

 lias been aH'ected by ad\ erse conditions, and at that dat(! was estimated to be 

 I I per cent, below ncjrnud in condition. Thus the present prospects are for 

 :i crop of l.'^972,oOO i)ags, less II per (cnt. The growing ])eriod is not over, 

 however, and the crop will be subject, of course, to the vagaries of tin; season 

 ^till to be completed, so that it is lik(4y that tlie above estimate will need to 

 be amended as the season progresses accoriling to the nature of the conditions 

 met with. 



Kaffir ('am. — The area under this crop is estimated to be 20 per cent, less 

 than it was last year, and the growing crop, affected by adverse conditions, is 

 reported to be 1(3 per cent, below normal in condition iis at the end of March. 



Tobacco. — The acreage under tobacco has i'allcn off this season, compared 

 with 1920, by an average of 10 per cent. ov'(>r the whok; Lhiion, the area undei- 

 crop in Rustenburg, the largest producing district in the Union, being estinuited 

 to be 15 per cent, less than that of last year. Instead of a normal crop being 

 obtained from the acreage this season, that is an ordinary full yield such, as 

 could be expected in an ordinary favourable season, indications at the end of 

 March point to a eroi) 10 ]ier cent, below nor'nial in .iiiiienrance. 



