Islands Produce

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Aust. £ equals approximately 16/- Stg., NZ, or W.

Samoa; 18/- Fiji; 20/- Tonga, Solomons & WPHC areas; 140 Pac. Francs; $U52.23.)

Copra

Price negotiated between British Ministry of Food and British South Pacific Territories for 1955 is £ Stg.6s, FOB main ports —a reduction of 7.149 r 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 A 1 r £69/15/-; PM (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

£ S4l/12/- ror 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

£ A6B/10/-; Mixed Ha/Fm £A64; Pm

£AS9/10/-; Yandina: 5/- higher.

NEW HEBRIDES:—June 1: Merchants paying 6,250 Pac. francs (£A4S/6/-) de livered Vila/Santo.

FRENCH OCEANIA:—Latest quotation 6.25 Pac. francs per kilo (£A4S/F/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 Aug. 6, was £ Stg.27o f.o.b.

P.-N.G.: £A325, delivered Sydney.

W. SAMOA: Aug. 6; £Stg.3os, f.o.b.

Apia.

COFFEE:—P.-N.G.: Top grades 5/- lb.

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 Aug. 5, No. 1 RSS, spot 153 3 4 cents (54V2d Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp, Tulk & Co.. Sydney, quoted Aug. 6: Buying price, c.i.f. Sydney, Tahiti White and Yellow label, processed, standard packs, 51/-.

Green, 49/-. Producers receiving 100 francs per kilo (15/3 Aust. per lb.) for uncured beans.

RICE (Australian); —Price adjusted May 1 each year. P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed £65 per ton, f.o.b. To other Territories £7B per ton, f.o.b.

PEARL SHELL.—Prices fixed between

Torres Strait producers and Otto Gerr Co. (USA) for 1955: Sound grades, £A7; D. £ A 390; E, £A3OO; EE. £A225, f.o.b. Australian port. Manlhlki: £Stg.l. long ton, f.o.b. Rarotonga; Tuamo £A725, Tong ton, on beach, or £AIJ f.o.b. Papeete.

TROCHUS: —Aug. 1 in store Sydn subject to rejects: P.-N.G. to £425.

New Caledonia; 50.000 Pac. francs metric ton (£A357 approx.) in st< Noumea.

Green Snail:—P.-N.G., In Sii

Sydney, to £365, subject to rejects.

London And U.S. Prices

Copra:—London, Aug. 5; Straits, c.: £ Stg.64/5/-, Philippines SUSI7S, weights, Cont. Ports: N. Hebrides, aflf Aug. 5, 68,500 Metro, francs per long

(£ Abb/10/-).

Cocoa:—London, July 15: Gold Coc September delivery, c.i.f. U.K., £Stg| per long ton; New York: Bahia, f.0.b.. cents lb. Futures: Sept., 34.24; E 34.55 cents lb.

Coffee: —London. July 15; Uganda nas robusta, unwashed, f.a.q., prompt delh: £Stg.244/10/; July-Aug. £Stg.24o/11 Aug. - Sept. £Stg.233/10/-; Sept. - ■ £Stg.227/10/-; Oct.-Nov. £Stg.22l/\ f.o.b. Mombasa; New York: Columbd spot 62V 2 cents lb.; Santos “Fours’” cents lb.

Trochus:—London. July 1: Singapj early delivery, £Stg.49s; Singapd Macassar, £Stg.46s c.i.f.

Greensnail: Singapore £Stg,36o c.i..

Rubber:—London, Aug. 5: Spot, but 42 3, 4 d Stg.; Oct.-Dec. 42T 7 8d Stg.