Islands Produce

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency)

Copra

The official price paid by the British (Ministry of Food for copra produced in British Territories in the South Pacific (Papua, New Guinea, Solomons, Gilbert and Ellice, Fiji, Tonga. Samoa, Cook Islands) for the year as from January 1, 1954, is approximately £7O Sterling per ton, f.0.b., chief Territories ports. Each Governmental authority, handling and shipping the copra, makes deductions from the £7O Stg., such charges being different in each Territory. The following

are the prices now being paid, per ton, to growers in different Territories:—

Papua And New Guinea

At Main Crushers, Ex-

W. SAMOA:—No details—producers ex pect about £ NZSB in 1954.

SOLOMON IS. AND G. AND E. COLONY: No details —producers should receive about £A66/8/- delivered at main ports.

Currency Note: Compared with Sterling, Aust. £ is worth 15/-; Fiji £ is 17/6; NZ £ is 20/-.

COCOA.—lslands prices are usually based on rate for Accra cocoa (W Africa), quotation (from Colyer Watson, Ltd., Sydney i for which on August 5 was £ Stg.49o ( £ A612/10/- approx, i c.i.f., ton, Cont. ports.

N.G.— £5BO-£590 approx, per ton in store, Sydney.

Samoa.— Sydney agents in August quoted Samoa cocoa at £S49O (£A6I2 10 approx.), f.o.b. per ton, first grade.

COFFEE.—P.-N.G. Recent overseas market increases have brought Territories Coffee to 7/9 per lb. All supplies assured of quick sale. MANGAIA (Cook Islands).—Robusta, green, unprocessed V- -2/- per lb. on plantation.

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.:—Little change from last month. Stiff opposition from superior grade Australian nuts has made It In creasingly difficult to dispose of P.-N.G. nuts. Price: Kernels, 1/5; in shell, nominal, 8d or 9d.

RUBBER.—Papua - New Guinea: Price based on Singapore figure which fluctuates from day to day. Quotation on August 5 was 26%d Aust. lb. Singapore rate Aug. 5 No. 1 grade RSS (sellers) spot 68V2C lb. c.i.f. iapprox. 24) 4 d Aust. Ib.i. t ANILLA BEANS.—Sydney quotations by (Victor Karp, Tulk & Co.): Tahiti.—Sup ulies still overdue owing to late curing: White 80/-, Yellow 80/-. Green 76/-.

RICE.—New season’s (1954-1955) price is: P.-N.G.—Dry brown and dressed £B3 f.o.b. per ton. Other Pacific Islands, in cluding N.Z. dependencies, £9O.

PEARL SHELL.—Prices fixed betw Torres Strait producers and Otto Gen Co. (USA) for 1954: AA/A/B gra< 85c lb. (£ABSO approx, per long ton); 80c lb. (£ABooti D, 55c lb. (£ASSO); 40c lb. (£ A 400) ; EE, 30c lb. (£A3OC all c.i.f., New York. No change from ] season. Manihiki.—£A3Bo c.i.f., Auckla

Trochus Shell N.G.: £290 Nomii

Market quiet. Fiji, £FI7O per ton f.c Suva.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Market dull Sydney at present. N.G., Ist grade £ per ton less rejects; Spotted £7O-i both ex-wharf, Sydney. N.H., No intei in Sydney. 8.5.1., No. 1 grade £1 £l9O, Spotted £BO ex-wharf.

London Prices

LONDON, July If Copra, c.i.f., Continental Ports, ton New Hebrides . . . . 77,000 Metrop. fra: (£ A99/7/- appre Coconut Oil, c.i.f. Continental Ports, ton (£ ABB/15/- appre Philippines, July-Aug $ ( £ AB2/7/6 appro Coconut Oil, c.i.f., Continental Poi FM Straits, Aug. shipment . . £Stg. i £ Al2B/15/- appro Ceylon, Aug. shipment .. .. £Stg. (£AI32/10/- appro Cocoa, per 50 kilos, c.i.f., Nth. C( tinental Ports:— Accra £stg (£ A 625 approx, per long to

Islands Mining Shari

Ports ship Sydney Hot Air £A75 0 0 £ A97 0 0

Fms . .

£ A74 5 0 £ A97 0 0 Smokedried £ A71 10 0 £ A96 0 0

Fiji

Pltn. . .. £P70 15 6 (60 pts. & over)

Fms . ..

£F70 10 0 (45-571/2 pts.)

Fiji

Aug..1939 July 1 Aug.; Emperor . . b9/ll bl7/9 S18/6 Loloma . . . s25/6 b27/b28/-

Papua-New

Guinea

Bulolo . . . bl24/s60/b50/- Mandated All. b3, 8 bl/sl/- N.G.G. Ltd. . bl/10 bl/llV 2 b2/4 Oil Search . s3/ll b32/b26/9 Oriomo Oil . b5/- S15/6 bl3/- Papuan Apin. b4/ll b7/2 b8/7 Placer Dev. . b68/6 b260/b260/- Sandy Creek . bl/5 s6d b6d.