Copra.

THE copra market continues feature less, with the London c.i.f. price keeping in the vicinity of £14 per ton.

We have tried to get a line on the future of the market, but without much success. The following, sent to the Coconut Planters’ Union of Fiji, by its London brokers, under date early in August, appears to be a fair summary of the position: “No doubt if any constructive policy is made by international politicians, and they can settle some of the troubles now existing, sentiment will improve and prices for commodities will respond. We cannot get away from the fact that prices for every articles are very low.

As far as copra is concerned, it does seem that there is no great shortage of supplies at the moment ... At time of writing, we can see fair quantities of copra available . . . but there are so many different factors about that it is almost impossible to express a definite opinion. ’ ’

The correspondents of “The Pacific Islands Monthly” report the followings as the “average” of copra quotations at the places stated on the given dates.

Port Moresby, September 5—Smoke dried, £9/15/- per ton; sun-dried £9/5/-.

Rabaul, September 2. —Hot air dried, per ton, in store Rabaul, £9/12/6.

Suva, September s—£9/5/- per ton.

Tulagi, August 20—From £5 to £7 under London c.i.f. price, as reported in “Sydney Morning Herald.”

Rarotonga, August 15 —About £4/15/- per ton for native, sun-dried. Only two firms are buy ing. Export duty (£1 per ton) practically kills industry.

Apia, Western Samoa, September 5—Kilndried, £7/15/- per ton, on the beach here; sun dried, £7/5/-; native, Apia district, 1½ cents per lb.; native, outside districts, 1 cent per lb.

Tonga-Nukualofa, August 18—Copra, sun dried on the beach, £7 per ton.