Islands Produce
p. 138 · Read in the full issue
(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency)
Copra
(The following are based on the MOF contract prices for 1953 in the Territories hamed.) PAPUA-NEW GUINEA.—Copra Market ing Board rates: Main ports, Hot air, £69/5/- per ton; FMS, £69/5/-; Smoked, £68/5/-. Sydney crushers pay: Plantation Hot-air; £91; FMS, £90/15/-; Smoked, £90/2/6.
FIJI.—At Suva and Levuka, 1953: Plantation grade (60 points and oven £F66/5/6 per ton; FMS (45-57V 2 points) £ F66; other grades from £F64/15/-, down to £F62/15/-.
W. SAMOA.—MOF contract is £Stg.65 per ton, f.o.b., Western Samoa; producers receive about £10 less.
BSI.—Prices based on MOF contract of £Stg.65, per ton, f.o.b. Rates to pro ducers are: £A62/3/4 per ton, delivered Honiara: £A63/3/4, delivered Tulagi or Yandina; £A62/18/4, delivered Gizo.
NEW HEBRIDES.—April quotations 94 Metrop. francs per kilo in store, Marseilles ( £A121/5/10 approx, per long ton).
FRENCH OCEANIA.—Tahiti: 10.25 francs per kilo (£A74/6/- per long ton); Tuamotu 10.80 francs per kilo (£A74/6/per long ton).
COCOA. —Islands prices are usually based on rate for Accra cocoa (W.
Africa), quotation (from Colyer Watson Ltd., Sydney) for which on May 1 was £ Stg.262 (£ A327/10/-) c.i.f. ton, Cont ports.
N.G.— £ A280 approx, per ton, in store Sydney.
New Hebrides.—Sales to France in April brought: 250-255 Metrop. francs per kilo (£A322/ll/7-£A329 approx, per long ton) for Superior grades; average grades, 240 Metrop. francs per kilo. (£A309 approx, per long ton).
Samoa.—Sydney agents in May quoted Samoan cocoa at £Stg.250 (£A312/10/-) f.o.b. per ton, first grade. (Samoan currency equals Stg.).
COFFEE.—Islands prices ruling in May were: Papua-N.G.—No shipments received in Sydney lately. Last price was at 7/6 approx, per lb. (approx. £840 per ton), which was abnormally high.
New Caledonia.—Crop mainly ex ported to Prance. Recent quotation was 398 Metrop. francs per kilo (£A513 approx, per long ton).
RUBBER. Papua-New Guinea.—Market fluctuates from day to day, based on price ruling in Singapore. Quotation on May 7 was: 33 3 / 4 d Aust. lb. Singapore rate May 7: No. 1 grade RSS (sellers) spot 70y 2 c lb c.i.f. (approx. 30-2/3d Aust. lb.).
VANILLA BEANS.—Sydney quotation (by Victor Karp. Tulk & Co.); White Label. 25/6 per lb.; Yellow, 25/6, c.i.f. Sydney.
Green, unavailable in Sydney at present.
RICE.—New season’s (1953-1954) price; Papua-N.G.—Dry brown £90 per ton; Dressed £96 per ton.
Desiccated Coconut. — Sydney
agents quote Ceylon, 1/7-1/16 Stg. per lb. spot, delivered to store, Sydney (1/11-13/16 Aust. per lb.). New Guinea: 2/5V& lb. spot, delivered in store, Sydney.
PEARL SHELL.— Prices fixed betwet lorres Strait producers and Otto Gerds 8?’ Jnt SA) n, f0r^ 1952 ’ 53: AA/A/B grad ? Bn i s ( ,£ A850 approx, per lor C. 80c. lb. (£A800); D, 55c. 1 (£A550); E, 40c. lb. (£A400); EE, 30 lb. (£A300)—all c.i.f., New York Ne price expected within next few month Cook Is.—American market firm at ; cents U.S. per lb., f.o.b. Rarotonga. Pn ducers currently receive 1/8 lb. Aus (approx. £187 Aust. long ton).
TROCHUS SHELL.—Little interest be< shown in shell in Sydney lately. Recei quotations are: B.S.I., £A135 per to: New Hebrides, £A100 approx, per toi N.G., £A205-£A210 per ton.
GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Sydney agen recently quoted; N.G.—£220 per to: N.H.—£220 per ton. B.S.I.—£200 per td
London Prices
LONDON, April 10.; Copra, c.i.f., Continental ports, ton:- New Hebrides . .. 92,000 Metrop. fram ,’V (£ A118 appro* Tahiti 95,500 Metrop. frani (£ A123 approx.
FM Straits (Mar.-Apr.) .. .. £Stg.j (£A118/15/- appro* Ceylon, FMS Nomini Philippines, bulk US$21 (£ A116/7/- approx Coconut Oil, c.i.f., ton;— PM Straits, 3V Z % drums . . . . £Stg.l‘ (£A170 approx.
Ceylon, bulk £Stg.K (£A116/5/- approx; Philippines, afloat Nomini Cocoa, per 50 kilos, c.i.f., Nth. Cor tinental Ports.—Accra, March - Ma £Stg.l2/2/6 (£A303/2/6 approx, per Ion ton).