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; 5U52.23.)

Copra

Price negotiated between British Ministry of Food and British South Pacific Territories for 1955 is £ Stg.6s, FOB main ports—a reduction of 7.14% 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 A 1 r £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

£ S4l/12/- ior 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; Fm

£AS9/10/-; Yandina: 5/- higher.

NEW HEBRIDES:—Dec. 1. Merchants paying 6,150 Pac. francs (£A43/1/-) de livered Vila/Santo.

FRENCH OCEANIA;—Latest quotation 7,00 Pac. francs per kilo (£A49/5/approx., per long ton) delivered in bulk, Papeete, for top grade.

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

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

COCOA:—lslands prices are based on the rate for Accra cocoa which, on Dec. 8, was £ 5tg.262/10/- f.o.b.

P.-N.G.: £A3OS, delivered Sydney.

W. SAMOA: Dec. 4; £Stg.26o, 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, 1/5 per lb. delivered Sydney.

RUBBER:—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore, which quoted Dec. 7, No. 1 RSS, spot 129y 2 cents (45.8 d Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp, Tulk & Co., Sydney, quoted Dec. 1. Buying price, c.i.f. Sydney. Tahiti White and Yellow label, processed, standard packs, 55/-, Green, 54/-.

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 Gerdau

Co. (USA) for 1955: Sound grades, £A 'I D, £ A 390; E, £ A 300; EE. £A225, f.o.b. Australian port. Manihiki: Lagg closing throughout 1956. Last shiprm £ ABOO c,i.\f. Sydney. Divers transfern to Penrhyft. Tuamotu; £A725, long on beach, or £A1,015 f.o.b. Papeete.

TROCHUS:—Dec. 7, in store Syd:l subject to rejects. P.-N.G. to £475-£3 Only small consignments.

New Caledonia: 52.000 Pac. francs metric ton (£A37O approx.) in S 3 Noumea. Season closed Oct. 31.

Green Snail:—P.-N.G., In S 3

Sydney, to £390-£435. subject to rej<t Only small consignments.

London And U.S. Prices

Copra:—London, Dec. 2. Straits, ca £ Stg.6s/15/- Philippines SUSI 76, weights.

Cocoa:—London, Nov. 19: Gold Co! new season, Nov.-Jan. delivery, c.i.f. U £ 5tg.252 per long ton; New York, d£ 301/2 cents; Futures: Mar. 1956, 31.14; M 31.46 cents lb.

Coffee:—London. Nov. 19: Uganda ns robusta, unwashed, f.a.q., prompt delit, £ Stg.26B, Dec.-Jan. £ 5tg.256 San £ Stg.4l3/6/- in bond, London.

Trochus: —London. Oct. 29: Singay early delivery, £ Stg.sls; Singapj Macassar, £ 5tg.465 c.i.f.

Greensnail: Singapore £ Stg.36o c.i.J Rubber:—London, Dec. 4. Spot, biu 37 7 'sd Stg.; Apr.-June, 1956, 34%d; 37V 4 d Stg. c.i.f.