Islands Produce

(Unless otherwise stated Quotations are in Australian currency. Aust £ approximately 34/- Stg.. ga Solomons &

WPHc' T*. FrfnU; *«.«•>

Copra

Price negotiated between British Ministry of Food and sritlsh |ou«i Territories for 195& is x_o k , Sir p?ice S_ Stabilisation funds and other charges reduce the actual prices to pro

ducers to those given below, per ton.

Papua - New Guinea.—Hot Air

£69/15/-: FM (Sun) £69; Smoked FIJI- —plantation £F63 5/6; FM £F63, moister grades to £FS9/15/- minimum.

W Samoa; £S42/6/-, £S4I/18/-. And

£341/12/- lor the three gradings in use E. SAMOA;— Adjusted with fluctuations. Currently $B9 60 (£ A4O approx.) per long ton. Periodic bonus if average proceeds exceed Government buy SOLOMONS; —Honiara / Gizo: Hot Air

£A67,10/-; Mixed Ha/Fm £A6I/10/-; Fm

£AS7/10/-; Yandina; 5/- higher.

NEW HEBRIDES:—Mar. 7; Merchants paying 7,700 Pac. francs (£AS3/18/-i.

FRENCH OCEANIA: —Latest quotation 8 50 and 8,07 Pac. francs per kilo for; the two gradings in use, delivered in bulk Papeete. (£ A6l/12/- - £ A5B/8/- per long TONGA; —£A 59 and £AS3 per ton for the two gradings in use. , COOK IS.; —Growers receive £Stg.3//J/to £Stg.3o/6/- depending on quality and freight rates from particular island to Rarotonga.

COCOA:—lslands prices are based on the rate for Accra cocoa. Sydney March 7 quotation; £Stg.34s c.i.f. Aust. ports.

NG.: £4OO-£430, delivered Sydney.

W. Samoa; £Stg.4oo. f.0.b.. Apia COFFEE:—P. N.G.: £420-£587 delivered Sydney.

PEANUTS;—P.N.G.: Ready sale for Virginia Bunch, in shell, large, well cleaned, 1/4 per lb. delivered Sydney.

RUBBER:— P.-N.G price is based on Singapore, which quoted Mar. 4. No. 1 RSS. spot, buyers 85 5 s cents 30 Ad Aust.) per lb. f.o.b.

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp. Tulk & Co Sydney, quoted Mar. 7: Tahiti White and Yellow label 64/- lb., Green label 63/-, 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 between Torres Strait producers and Otto Gerdau Co (USAI for 1955: Sound grades, £A735, D £ A 390; E, £A3OO; EE, £A225, all f.o.b. Australian port. Manihiki: Last

available quotation £Stg.3so, f.o.b. Rar: tonga. Rising tendency.

TROCHUS:— Mar. 7. in store Sydne subject to rejects: N.G. to £390, N. Hel to £3BO, Sols, to £340.

Green Snail:—N.G. To £275, Sols.

£245, same terms.

London And U.S. Prices

Copra;— London. Feb. 19: Straits, c.ii £ Stg.7l/5/ - ( £ AB9 approx.); N. Hebnd: afloat. 75.500 Metro, francs per long t i £A97/10/- approx.); Philippines, Ma Apr. delivery $192 Vb (£AB6/15/- approx Cocoa: —London, Feb. 19: Gold Cos March - May delivery, c.i.f. U £Stg.367/10/-; New York, Feb. 19: Bah f.0.b., 41 17 2 cents lb. (£Stg.332 per lo ton).

Coffee:— London, Feb. 19: Uganda nat robusta. unwashed, prompt, £Stg.2Bl/10 March-April delivery, £Stg.29l/10/-; Kej “A” £Stg.46o; “B”. FAQ, £Stg.24o; per long ton f.o.b. Extra prime Sam £Stg.47o in bond, London. New Yc Feb. 19: Colombian, 58 cents per ( £ 5tg.464 per long ton) ex-dock, I York, early delivery. Spot, 60V2 ce ( £Stg.4Bs per long ton). !

Trochus: —Last London quotation B 17: Singapore, early delivery, c.. £ 5tg.465; Sing. Macassar, £Stg..

Mergui. £Stg.32s; Padang, £Stg..

Supplies short.

Greensnail: —London, Dec. 17; Smgapi £ Stg.34o. „ „ .

Rubber:—London. March 4: Spot. bUi 25V 2 d Stg.: July delivery 24 7 8 d Stg. $