Cocoa, Coffee Up
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Demand For Islands Produce
ISLANDS cocoa has been enjoying a mild “boom” on the Australian mar ket in recent weeks, due to the cur tailment of imports from British West Africa—which, prior to the war, supplied nine-tenths of Australia’s requirements.
At the end of September, 1940, the British Colonial Office announced the purchase by Britain of the whole of the forthcoming cocoa crops in the British Colonies of Gold Coast, Nigeria and West Africa. This, and a shortage of shipping space, account for the increased demand for Islands cocoa by Australian manufacturers.
Latest quotations from Sydney agents show that Npw Guinea and New Hebrides cocoa is in the vicinity of £47 a ton. An agent who imports the fine quality Criollo cocoa from Western Samoa quotes parcels at £57 a ton.
As the result of heavy American pur chases, the price of coffee is moving up.
Java Robusta has been quoted at between 43 9 and 45 - a cwt., and New Guinea coffee is in Sydney selling at prices rang ing between 9d. and lOd. a lb.
Some movement on the green-snail shell market has been evident lately, and a firm market is in the vicinity of £65 a ton.