Islands Produce

[Copyright by “Pacific Islands Monthly”.]

Coffee

THE following quotations were obtained in Sydney during May:— Robusta, f.a.q., imported from Java on firm conversion of exchange, c.i.f., prompt shipment, Sydney:—Quote No. 1: 26/- per cwt.; quote No. 2: 18/- per cwt.

Kenya, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., Syd ney, per cwt.:—No. 1 quotations: Grade “A”, 51/-; grade “B”, 46/6; grade “C”, 43/-. Triage 36/-. No. 2 quotations: Grade “A”, 58/6; grade “B“, 48/6; grade “C”, 45/6. Triage 36/6 (drought coffee). No. 3 quotations: Grade “B” 47/-grade “C”, 38/-.

Mysore, f.a.q., prpmpt shipment, c.i.f., Sydney, per cwt.; No. 1 quotations: Grade “A”, 54/6; grade “B”, 53/-. No. 2 quotations; Grade “B” 54/-; Triage, 42/6.

Arabian (Aden) Hodeidah, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., Sydney-No. 1 quotation; 64/per cwt. No. 2 quotation, 66/- 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-May, were:—Average Java IVad. per lb. and prime Japara, 7 7-16 d. per lb.

Cocoa

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

Quote No. 2: New Guinea cocoa £29-£3O per ton.

Quote No. 3; Accra, good fermented £33/10/per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Cotton

During the month, London, c.i.f., cotton prices were:—April 22, 4.82 d. Ib.. May shipment; April 29. 4.66 d. lb., June shipment: May 6,4.57 d. lb., June shipment; May 13, 4.69 d. lb., June ship ment; 4.57 d. lb., June shipment.

Ivory Nuts

No. 1 quotation: £B/10/- 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-May, at £5O-£55 per ton.

Rice

Rangoon nee: packed in 100 lb. bags, £l3 per ton; 200 lb. bags, £l2/15/- per ton, f.0.b., Sydney.

Australian table rice, packed in 56 lb. bags, £lB per ton.

Trochus Shell

Nominal quotations for trochus shell obtained in Sydney from two different sources were: (a) Trochus, shell. No. 1 grade .. £B5 Trochus shell, No. 2 grade .. .. £75 Trochus shell, No. 3 grade .. .. £65 (b) Trochus shell, No. 1 grade .. £9OV 2 Trochus shell, No. 2 grade .. .. £79V 2 Trochus shell, No. 3 grade .. £7OV 2 All quotes are f.0.b., and on the Australian £.

Mother of Pearl Shell.

At the last London sales of Mother of Pean shell, a good 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. Black Edged Shell (Tahitian) sold at firm prices. There was no New Guinea shell offered. Darwin shell fetched £2lB (Aust.) for Ist grade to £llO (Aust.) for fair defective pickings.