472 



Provision Trade in August, [sept., 1908.] 



Hams have experienced only a moderate demand for the time of year 

 and prices for both home and foreign are below those of last year, having 

 fallen several shillings per cwt. by the end of the month. Pigs were brought 

 into the factories in small numbers only at the beginning of the month, 

 breeders apparently looking for the customary increased August demand for 

 bacon, when they are generally able to make good terms with the curers. 

 Later in the month supplies were much larger, and lower prices had to be 

 accepted. 



Cheese. — The month opened with a much better consumptive demand, 

 and slightly higher prices were paid. Later buyers expressed the feeling 

 that prices were too high and could not be sustained, weather conditions for 

 the making of cheese having improved both in Canada and England, on the 

 month spot prices improved about is. per cwt. for Canadian cheddars, in 

 sympathy with similar advances paid to Canadian shippers for August 

 shipments. The last few days of the month saw a reduction in cabled prices 

 of from is. to is. 6d. per cwt., which affected spot prices to a similar 

 extent, causing buyers generally to postpone operations fearing further 

 reductions, and at the close of the month transactions were limited all round. 

 The total shipments from Canada since 1st May to 15th August have been 

 886,712 cheeses, against 1,046,124 for the same period in 1907, and 1,203,956 

 in 1906. The estimated stocks of Canadian cheese in England on 31st August 

 are 14 to 15 per cent, less than last year. 



English farmers are reported to be taking full advantage of the improved 

 weather to increase their output of cheese, as there is every prospect of their 

 being able to realise remunerative prices. At most of the recent shows and 

 fairs the quantities on offer have been in excess of last year. 



The latest advices from New Zealand report that the prospects are good 

 for a large make of cheese. Factories which have hitherto confined their 

 output to butter are being fitted up with cheese-making machinery, giving 

 the factorymen the opportunity of manufacturing whichever is the most 

 profitable. This will doubtless result in more cheese being made for export. 



Butter. — No real improvement can be reported in the demand, buyers 

 preferring to operate for immediate requirements only. Spot prices range 

 from 10s. to 16s. above those current at the same time last year. Imports 

 have been on a larger scale than during August 1907, and Cold Store stocks 

 have considerably increased at all centres. Large quantities are reported to 

 have been stored in America, with the view to a good demand from England 

 in the fall of the year. Prospects are also favourable for a large make in 

 New Zealand and Australia. Arrivals of Siberian continue to decrease, and 

 Germany is reported to be buying more freely in order to have a stock for 

 her wkiter trade. The bulk of English buyers are of the opinion that prices 

 are too high for speculation, and refuse to contract to any extent for future 

 deliveries at present prices. The total shipments from Canada from 1st May 

 to 15th August, 63,860 packages, as compared with 44,001 in the correspond- 

 ing period of 1907, and 216,409 in 1906. 



Eggs. — The demand early in the month was disappointingly small, and 

 sellers were easy to approach in regard to prices. By the middle of the 

 month supplies were somewhat curtailed, and a determined effort was made 

 to obtain better prices, which was partially successful. Prices of all selections 

 are too high to admit of free trading. 



