Islands Produce

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

Samoa; 22/6 Fiji; 20/- Tonga, Solomons & WPHC areas; 140 Pac. Francs; $U52.28.)

Copra

Price negotiated between British Ministry of Food and British South Pacific Territories for 1955 is £ Stg.6s, FOB main ports—a reduction of 7.14% on the 1954 price. 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 £ 66/15/-.

FlJl:—Plantation £F63/5/6; FM £F63; moister grades to £FS9/15/- minimum.

W. Samoa:—£S42/6/-, £S4I/18/-, And

£S4I/12/- tor the three gradings in use.

E. SAMOA:—Adjusted with free-market fluctuations. Currently $89.60 (£A4O approx.) per long ton. Periodic bonus if average proceeds exceed Government buy ing price.

SOLOMONS; —Honiara / Gizo: Hot Air

£A67/10/-; Mixed Ha/Fm £A6I/10/-; Fm

£ A57/10/-; Yandina: 5/- higher.

NEW HEBRIDES:—May 1: Merchants paying 6,950 Pac. francs (£A49/15/-).

FRENCH OCEANIA:—Latest quotation 6.25 Pac. francs per kilo (£A4S/6/aprox., per long ton) delivered in bulk, Papeete.

TONGA;—£AS9 and £AS3 per ton for the two gradings in use.

COOK IS.:—Growers receive £ Stg.37/3/to £Stg.3o/6/- depending on quality and freight rates from particular Island to Rarotonga.

COCOA: —Islands prices are based on the rate for Accra cocoa which, on May 5, was £ Stg.29o f.o.b.

P.-N.G.: £A3SO, delivered Sydney.

COFFEE:—P.-N.G.: Little business; off season.

PEANUTS:—P.-N.G.: Market only 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 May 5, No. 1 RSS, spot 89V2 cents (31.6 d Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp, Tulk & Co., Sydney, quoted May 6: Tahiti —White and Yellow label 64/- lb., Green label 63/-, c.i.f.

RICE (Australiail): —Price adjusted May 1 each year. P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed £65 per ton, f.o.b. (See elsewhere this issue).

PEARL SHELL. —Prices fixed between Torres Strait producers and Otto Gerdau Co. (USA) for 1955: Sound grades, £A73B; D, £ A 390; E, £A3OO; EE, £A225, all f.o.b. Australian port. Manihiki; Offers

of £ A4OO, c.i.f. Auckland. No actual ness quoted.

TROCHUS:—May 6, in store Sys subject to rejects; P.-N.G. to £440.

Green Snail:—P.-N.G., In

Sydney, to £320, subject to reject!

London And U.S. Prices

Copra;—London. May 6; Straits, £Stg.6s/10/- ( £ AB2/5/-). N. Heb:< afloat (April 16), 69,500 Metro, francs long ton (£ ABB/7/-). Philippines, t (May 6), $lBl (£ABO/15/-).

Cocoa:—London, April 16: Gold O May-July delivery, c.i.f. U.K., £Sfr per long ton; New York, April 15, fut) May 36.49 cents. July 36.85 cents, 36.90 cents, per lb.

Coffee: —London, April 16; Uganda rn robusta, unwashed, f.a.q., prompt del £Stg.2s7, May-June £Stg.247, June £Stg.237, July-August £Stg.23s per ton, f.o.b. Mombasa; New York, Apri' Colombian, spot, 62 Vz cents, S< “Fours” 58 cents, per lb. Futures: 55.85 cents, July 50.80 cents, Septe 46.85 cents.

Trochus:—London. April 16: Singae early delivery, £Stg.49s; Singsy Macassar, £Stg.4lo c.i.f.

Greensnail: —Last quotation, Dec..

Singapore £Stg.34o. Since increased!

Rubber:—London, May 6: Spot, be 26 J / 2 d Stg.; July-September 26y4d Stgs