Copra Records Over 50 Years

piFTT years ago, when the late W. E.

Reed 'founded his Islands trading firm (which is now carried on by his sons) he began to keep an exact record of copra prices, which he transferred to graphs.

Mr. Reed has been dead these several years, but those graphs still adorn the walls of his offices, and are a source of interest and information to many people The following figures have been copied from the graphs.

It should be noted that the price given is the price of sun-dried copra, in bags, f.0.b., Sydney; whereas the price usually quoted nowadays is the London, c.i.f. price

It is well worth noting that copra always has risen, when there has been war, or threats of war, and has fallen when the international horizon has been clear.

1885 . .

Highest

Per ton

f.o.b., Sydney

Lowest Per ton,

f.o.b., Sydney

et o n 1886 11 15 0 10 yj 10 15 10 g \J A 1887 . . 15 0 10 U A 1888 5 0 9 u A 1889 10 0 0 ... 8 U o 1890 10 o i n A A 1891 10 o Q U 10 10 10 0 u A 1892 0 o Q U A 1898 5 o 1 A 0 A 1894 11 15 0 . . .

U 0

1901 1902 To 1900—About 14 0 15 10 the same as 0 0 1894. 10 5 i o n 0 1903 13 0 o ii 13 14 15 16 13 15 20 17 21 24 14 14 19 26 22 18 34 V 10 0 A 0 1904 15 0 0 0 A 1905 14 15 0 u A 1906 21 10 0 U c U 0 1907 22 15 o D n 1908 16 10 0 If r 0 A 1909 21 0 0 O 10 u 0 0 A 1910 24 5 o 1911 23 10 o U c 1912 23 0 o O A 0 A 1913 27 10 o If 15 0 10 0 A If A 1914 1915 26 23 5 10 0 o If 0 A 1916 1917 26 27 15 5 0 o U 0 A 1918 1919 28 36 10 15 0 0 o u 0 U 0 1920 44 o U 15 A 0 A 1921 28 15 o 17 18 20 21 If A 1922 26 0 0 U 0 10 15 U A 1923 26 0 o U A 1924 25 5 0 U 0