Islands Produce

THE following quotations were obtained in Sydney in mid-September;—

Coffee

Java: Robusta, f.a.q., imported on firm conversion of exchange, c.i.f., prompt shipment, Sydney (Sterling): Quote No. 1: 44/-. Quote No. 2: 47/-.

Boengie (a good quality Java coffee), c.i.f., Sydney, 62/3.

Kenya, f.a.q., Immediate shipment, c.i.f., Sydney, per cwt. (Stg.): Quote No. 1; Grade “B”, 71/-; “C”, 68/-.

East Africa: Robusta, f.a.q., c.i.f., Sydney, 50/-. Mocha (Standard Billy), f.a.q., c.i.f., Sydney, 54/-.

Mysore, f.a.q., c.i.f., Sydney, per cwt. Quote No. 1: Grade “A”, 84/-; Grade “B”, 82/-; Grade “C”, 74/-.

Arabian (Aden) Hodeidah, f.a.q., c.i.f., Sydney.

No. 1 quotation: 82/-.

NG and Papua: Quote No. 1: OVid. per lb. (delivered store, Sydney), medium quality.

Quote No. 2: OVfed.-lOd. per lb. (delivered store, Sydney). Quote No. 3: Sales recently at 9 5 /sd. per lb., c.i.f., Sydney.

New Caledonia: New Caledonian coffee com ing into Australia varies considerably in quality.

Each parcel, agents state, must be treated on its merits. The following are quotations obtained from several different sources in Sent.: Quote No. 1 (in store, Sydney): Arabica, Grade “A”, HVfed.-l/-; “B”, 10%d.: Robusta. 9 3 8 d.-10d. Quote No. 2 (c.i.f. & e., Sydney): Robusta, 4d. per lb.; Arabica, Bd. per lb. Quote No. 3 (c.i.f., Sydney): Arabica, Bd. per lb.; Robusta, 4d. per lb. Quote No. 4 (c.i.f., Sydney); Arabica, £56-£6O per ton; Robusta, £34-£4O per ton. Quote No. 5 (c.i.f., Sydney); Robusta, £37-£39 per ton.

New Hebrides (c.i.f., Sydney): Quote No. 1: £36 per ton. Quote No. 2: £37-£39 ner ton.

Quote No. 3: £3O-£33 a ton (f.a.q.), c.i.f, and e., Sydney. [Note: Importers of all coffees —except NG and Papuan—pay additional charges, including exchange, duty (4.4 d. lb.), primage (11 per cent.), landing costs (1/- per cwt.), war duty (10 per cent.)]

Vanilla Beans

Tahiti: Quote No. 1 (c. & f., Sydney): Approxi mate market price, white label, 32/6 a lb.; green label, 23/6 a lb. Quote No. 2 (c.i.f., Sydney): White label and yellow label (September or October shipment), 32/-32/6 per lb. Quote No. 3: This agent reports a firm market for first grade beans.

Kapok

Quote No. 1: Average Java 6 7-32 d. per lb., c.i.f.; Prime Japara, 6 17-32 d. per lb., c.i.f. Quote No. 2: Average Java, 7d., c.i.f.; Prime Japara, 7-5/16d., c.i.f. (Prices sterling and subject to exchange 25V 2 %, duty 2d. per lb., 10% primage, 10% war duty, wharfage).

Ivory Nuts

Owing to war conditions, Sydney agents are not quoting for ivory nuts. The last quo tations, some months ago, indicated that a nominal rate was in the vicinity of £7 per ton.

Cotton

New Caledonian, c.i.f., Sydney. Quote No. 1: 9d, per lb. Quote No. 2: 10-lld. per lb. Quote No. 3 (delivered store, Sydney): lOd.-lld. (ap proximate market price) per lb.

Cocoa

New Guinea cocoa: Quote No. 1: £47 per ton —market rising. Quote No. 2: £47-£49 per ton.

Accra (West Africa): No sales for some months, last quote, £33/10/- (Stg.) per ton for good fermented.

New Hebrides cocoa (delivered store, Sydney): Quote No. 1: £4B per ton. Quote No. 2: £5O - per ton. Quote No. 3: Ist Grade, £46-£49 (according to quality) per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Quote No. 4: £5O per ton. Quote No. 5: End of last crop, some weeks ago, £4O a ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Western Samoan cocoa: In a letter to a Syd ney importer recently, a Samoan planter said: “We expect a good crop in September.” This agent also reports that a parcel of Samoan cocoa was sold in San Francisco (USA) recently at a price equivalent to £55 per ton, c.i.f., Sydney. Quote No. 2: £57 per ton. c.i.f., Sydney.

Rice

Australian table rice, packed in 56 lb. bags, £2O per ton.

Rangoon rice, packed in 100 lb. bags, £22/10/per ton; 200 lb. sacks, £22 per ton.

Trochus Shell

Sales have been reported in recent weeks at the following prices: Quote No. 1; Good average parcel of mixed grades, £4B per ton. Quote No. 2: Mixed parcels, £45. Quote No. 3: “A”

Grade, £56; “B” Grade, £46/10/-; “C” Grade £37/10/-. Quote No. 4: “A”, £5l/10/-; “B”’ £42/10/-; “C”, £32/10/. Quote No. 5 (Nominal) - ‘‘A”, £64: “B’ ( £46; “C”, £34. Quote No. 6: Mixed parcels, £47/10/-.

Green Snail Shell

Sales of green snail shell are reported by a Sydney agent at the following prices:—Ist grade, £62 a ton; mixed parcel, £5B/10/- a ton Another agent reported sales of a good quality shell recently at £64 a ton. Quote No 3 - £66/10/-. Quote No. 4: £5O-£55. Quote No 5 (N Hebrides, Solomon Is., N. Caledonian shell): £65/10/- a ton, f.o.b. Sydney market firm.

Quote No. 6: Good grade BSI shell, approx. £6O-£65 a ton, f.0.b., Sydney. This agent states that markets and freights are changing periodic ally. Quote No. 7: £66-£67 a ton. Quote No. 8 (nominal): £64 a ton.

Mother Of Pearl Shell

Thursday Is. MOP, c.i.f., Sydney. Grade “AA” £173 per ton; Grade “A”, £l73*; Grade “B”’ £157; Grade “DD”, £128; Grade “D”, £ll7;’

Grade “E”, £7B. This agent reports sales of “C” Grade MOP in New York, recently at a price equivalent to £202 per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

A temporary absence of stocks has limited trans actions in other grades.

Peanuts

New Guinea peanuts: Unshelled, 2%d. per lb • shelled, 4%d. per lb.