Islands Produce

Coffee

THE following quotations were obtained in Sydney during February.

Robusta, f.a.q., imported from Java on firm conversion of exchange, c.i.f., prompt shipment.

Sydney:—Quote No. 1: 27/- per cwt.; quote No. 2: 20/- per cwt.

Kenya, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., Syd ney, per cwt.:—No. 1 quotations: Grade “A”, 53/-; grade “B”, 47/-; grade “C”, 44/-. No. 2 quotations; Grade “A”, 58/6; grade “B”, 48/6; grade “C”. 42/6; Triage, 37/- (drought coffee).

No. 3 quotations; Grade “B”, 47/-; grade “C”, 38/-.

Mysore, f.a.q.. prompt shipment, c.i.f., Sydney, per cwt.: No. 1 quotations: Grade “A”. 53/-; grade “B”, 56/-. No. 2 quotations; Grade “B”, 49/-; Triage, 40/-.

Arabian (Aden) Hodeidah, f.a.q.. immediate shipment, c.i.f., Sydney—No. 1 quotation: 61/per cwt. No. 2 quotation: 56/9 per cwt.

Note: Importers of coffee from Java, etc., pay the following additional charges: Exchange, duty (4d. lb.), primage (10 per cent), landing costs (1/- per cwt.). Coffee from Papua and New Guinea escapes most of these charges.

Kapok

Based on firm conversion of exchange, the c.i.f. official prices for kapok quoted in Sydney in mid-February, were;—Average Java 7ysd. per lb., and Japara, 7 7-16 d. per lb.

Cocoa

Quote No. 1: Cocoa beans, £36-£3B per ton.

Quote No. 2: New Guinea cocoa, £35-£37 per ton.

Quote No. 3: Accra, good fermented, £2B per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Cotton

During the month, London, c.i.f., cotton prices were: —January 28, 4.69 d. lb., Feb. shipment; February 4,4.82 d. lb., March shipment; Febru ary 11, 4.90 d. lb., March shipment.

Ivory Nuts

No. 1 quotation; £lO per ton, f.0.b., Sydney.

No. 2 quotation: £lO per ton, f.0.b., Sydney.

Green Snail Shell

Green snail shell, good quality, was quoted by Sydney buyers in mid-February, at £55 per ton.

Rice

Rangoon rice, pecked in 1001 b. or 2001 b. bags, £lB/10/- per ton f.o.b. Sydney.

Australian table rice, packed in 661 b. bags. £lB per ton.

Trochus Shell

Normal quotations for trochus shell obtained in Sydney from two different sources were;

(a) Trochus shell, No. 1 grade £9O Trochus shell. No. 2 grade £BO Trochus shell. No. 3 grade £7O (b) Trochus shell, No. 1 grade - £9os Trochus shell. No. 2 grade ..._ £79s Trochus shell. No. 3 grade £7os All quotes are f.0.b., and on the Australian £.

Mother of Peorl Shell.

At the last London sales of Mother of Pearl shell, a substantial supply of Torres Strait shell came forward and was sold at prices ranging from £2OO (Australian) for A. A.

Chicken to £145 (Aust.) for defective pickings, fair to good. Little dealing was done in Black Edged shell (Tahitian), and none at all in New Guinea shell. Darwin shell fetched £2lO (Aust.) for Ist. grads to £lOO (Aust.) for fair defective pickings.