Islands Produce

[Copyright by “Pacific Islands Monthly”.]

Coffee

THE following quotations were obtained in Sydney in mid-October:— Robusta, f.a.q., Imported from Java on firm conversion of exchange, c.i.f., prompt shipment, Sydney: Quote No. 1: 29/- per cwt. (new season prompt shipment); quote No. 2: 20/9 per cwt.

Kenya, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., Syd ney, per cwt.:—No. 1 quotations: Grade “A”, 60/-; grade “B", 55/-; grade “C”, 50/-. Triage 45/-. No. 2 quotations (new season prompt ship ment); Grade “A” 57/-; grade “B” 48/6; grade “C” 54/6. Triage, 38/6 (drought coffee). No. 3 quotations: Grade “B”, 54/-; grade “C”, 46/-.

Mysore, f.a.q., prompt shipment, c.i.f., Sydney, per cwt.; No. 1 quotations: Grade “A”, 56/-; grade “B”, 50/6. No. 2 quotation: Grade “B”, Jan.-March delivery, 56/-. Triage, Jan.-March shipment, 48/-.

Arabian (Aden) Hodeidah, f.a.q., immediate shipment, c.i.f., Sydney—No. 1 quotation; 68/6 per cwt. No. 2 quotation, 73/- 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 Aim conversion of exchange, the c.i.f. official prices for kapok quoted in Sydney in mid-October were: Average Java 7 7 /ad. per lb., and prime Japara, 7 7-16 d. per lb.

Cocoa

Quote No. 1: Cocoa beans, £36-£4O per ton.

Quote No. 2; New Guinea cocoa £29-£3l per ton.

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

Cotton

London c.i.f. cotton prices during the month were: September 16, 4.61 d. lb., October ship ment; September 24, 4.58 d. lb., October ship ment; September 30, 4.61 d. lb., November ship ment; October 7,4.73 d. lb., November shipment.

Ivory Nuts

No. 1 quotation; £7 per ton, f.o.b.

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

Quotations nominal.

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 ric-% pa ;ked 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 a:o nominal.

The follow) \g quotations, by two firms, re present last sales, several months ago:— (a) Trochus shell, No. 1 grade £65 Trochus shell. No. 2 grade £57 Trochus shell, No. 3 grade £44 (b) Trochus shell. No. 1 grade £6B Trochus shell, No. 2 grade £6l Trochus shell, No. 3 grade £4B All quotes are f.0.b., and on the Australian £.

Mother of Pearl Shell

At the sales of Mother of Pearl shell in Lone 1 ' n, a large supply of Torres Strait shell came forward and wa sold at prices ranging from £125 (sterling) for A.A. chicken to £62 (sterling) for fair d fective pickings.

There was no New Guinea shell offered; 20

packages of Black Edged Tahitian shell were put up, but were mostly withdrawn. 260 pack ages of Darwin shell fetched £132 (sterling) for Ist. grade to £7l (sterling) for fair de fective 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-October, at £5O per ton.