Islands Produce

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Aust. £ equals approximately 24/- Stg., NZ, or W.

Samoa; 22/6 Fiji; 20/- Tonga; 140 Pac.

Francs; 3U52.23.)

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:—

Papua And New Guinea

Fiji

Pltn. . £F7O 15 6 (60 pts. & over) FMS . .. £F7O 10 0 (45-57y 2 pts.) W. SAMOA:—After deductions producers receive approx. £AS7/12/-, £AS7/5/-, and £ A56/15/- per ton under the three grad ings in use.

E. SAMOA; —Government pays $lOl (£A4S) per long ton, plus bonus at end of year if average proceeds higher.

SOLOMONS: —Hot Air: Honiara/Gizo £69/5/-, Yandina £69/10/-; Mixed FM £1 less; PM £2 less, respectively.

New Hebrides:—Dec. 2, 77,000 Pac.

francs per long ton (approx. £ASS/4/-).

FR. OCEANIA:—Under periodic price adjustment of October producers receive 9.50 and 9.03 Pac. francs per kilo for the two gradings in use, delivered in bulk, Papeete. (£A67 —£A65/15/- per long ton.) COCOA.—lslands prices are usually based on rate for Accra cocoa (W.

Africa), quotation (from Colyer Watson, Ltd., Sydney) for which on December 2 was £530, c.i.f., Australian ports.

N.G.— £ A 505 approx, per ton Sydney.

Samoa.—Sydney agents on December ? quoted Samoan cocoa at £S3BS (£A4Bi approx.), f.o.b. per ton, first grade.

COFFEE P N.G. 7/- per lb Ist grade.

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.: —Ready sale Sydney for Virginia Bunch, in shell, large, well cleaned, at 1/6 per lb.

RUBBER.—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore. Nov. 30: No. 1 RSS, spot, buyers 81.3 cents (28 3 /4d Aust.) per lb.; London, spot, buyers 23%d Stg., June delivery 23.6 d Stg.

VANILLA BEANS,—Sydney quotation by Victor Karp, Tulk & Co.: Tahiti. —White and Yellow label 86/-. Green 84/-, c.i.f.

RlCE;—Price adjusted May 1 each year.

P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed £B3 per ton, f.o.b. Other Pacific Islands £9O.

PEARL SHELL.—Prices fixed betw Torres Strait producers and Otto Gen Co. (USA) for 1954: Sound grades, £A D, £ A 390; E, £ A 300; EE, £A225, f.o.b. Australian port. Manihiki: £/ TROCHUS SHELL.—Rising tende First Grade NG and N. Hebrides qui early Dec. £A345 per ton, ex w: Sydney, less rejects.

Green Snail Shell.—N.G., Ist G

£ A 245 per ton less rejects, ex-wb Sydney. N.H., £235, ditto, 8.5.1., Nl grade £AIBO-£A2OO.

London And U.S. Prices

Copra:—London, Nov. 20; Straits.

Cont. ports, per ton, Dec.-Jan. deli £Stg.72 ( £A9O approx.); N. Hebr afloat, 81,000 metrop. francs (£. approx.); Philippines, Dec.-Jan. dell $195 (£AB7/10/- approx.).

Cocoa:—London, Nov. 20: Accra/L £ Stg.4l2/10/- December delivery, c January delivery £ Stg.4lo/10/-, M, £ Stg.4o7/10/-; New York, Nov. 20: 47.94 cents, May delivery 47.45 cent Coffee:—London, Nov. 20: spot, rob; Br. Cameroons to £ Stg.3Bo, Gold C to £ 5tg.355, Uganda to £ Stg.4l3, K to £ Stg.6oo, Jamacia to £ 5tg.545, all ton in bond, London; early shipn Kenya “A”, £ 5tg.675, Bukoba ns f.a.q. £ 5tg.375, both f.0.b.; New Y spot, Columbian to 79 cents per lb, Sa “Pour” 7iy 2 cents.

Trochus: —London, Oct. 30: Singa early delivery, c.i.f., £ 5tg.465, S: Macassar £ Stg.3Bo, Mergui £Stg Padang £ Stg.3oo.

Greensnail: —Singapore, £ Stg.34o.

At Main Crushers, Ex- 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