Islands Produce

[Copyright by “Pacific Islands Monthly”.]

Coffee

THE following quotations were obtained in Sydney during August:— Robusta, f.a.q., imported from Java on firm conversion of exchange, c.i.f., prompt shipment, Sydney: Quote No. 1; 23/ per cwt. (new season prompt shipment): quote No. 2; 20/6 per cwt.

Kenya, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., Syd ney, per cwt.:—No. 1 quotations; Grade “A”, 50/-; grade “B”, 47/-; grade “C”, 44/-. Triage 37/. No. 2 quotations (new season prompt ship ment): Grade “A” 55/; grade “B”, 48/; grade “C” 56/. Triage 39/ (drought coffee). No. 3 quotations: Grade “B”, 47/; grade “C”, 41/.

Mysore, f.a.q., prompt shipment, c.i.f., Sydney, per cwt.; No. 1 quotations: Grade “A”. 56/-; grade “B”, 50/. No. 2 quotation: Grade “B”, season closed. Last quote, 54/-. Triage, market closed, no supplies available. Last quote, 44/-.

Arabian (Aden) Hodeidah, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., Sydney—No. 1 quotation: 69/ per cwt. No. 2 quotation, 78/- per cwt.

Note: Importers of coffee from Java, etc., pay the following additional charges: Exchange, duty (4d. lb.), primage (10 per cent.), land ing 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-August were; Average Java 7ysd per lb., and prime Japara, 7 7-16 d. per lb.

* Cocoa

Quote No. 1: Cocoa beans, £25-£3O per ton.

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

Quote No. 3: Accra, good fermented (Feb.- Mar. shipment), £25/10/ per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Cotton

London c.i.f. cotton prices during the month were:—July 23, 4.88 d. lb., August shipment; July 30, 4.76 d. lb., August shipment; August 6, 4.71 d. lb., September shipment.

Ivory Nuts

Quotations nominal.

No. 1 quotation: £8 per ton, f.o.b.

No. 2 quotation: £7 per ton, f.0.b., Sydney.

Mother of Pearl Shelf

At the last sales of Mother of Pearl shell in London, a large supply of Torres Strait shell came forward and was sold at prices ranging from £l4O (sterling) for A.A. Chicken to £65 (sterling) for fair defective pickings.

There was no New Guinea shell offered. Near ly 90 packages of Black Edged Tahitian shell were put up, but were mostly withdrawn. Dar win shell fetched £175 (sterling) for Ist grade to £75 (sterling) for fair defective pickings.

Prices generally were lower than the previous sale, although small shell was firm.

Green Snail Shell

Green snail shell, good quality, was quoted by Sydney buyers in mid-August, at £5O per ton.

Rice

Rangoon rice: packed in 100 lb. bags, £l2/ 10/ per ton; 200 lb. bags, £l2/5/ per ton, f.0.b., Sydney.

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

Trochus Shell

Owing to Japan’s restrictions on oversea credits, there have been no sales for some time.

Quotations are nominal.

The following quotations, by two firms, re present last sales, several weeks ago:—

(a) Trochus, shell, No. 1 grade .. .. £75 Trochus shell, No. 2 grade .. .. £65 Trochus shell, No. 3 grade .. .. £ 55 (b) Trochus shell, No. 1 grade .. £75 Trochus shell, No. 2 grade .. £65 Trochus shell, No. 3 grade .. £55 All quotes are f.o.b., and on the Australian £.