Copra

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; SUS 2.23.)

Copra

Price negotiated between British Ministry of Food and British South Pacific Territories for 1956 was £Stg.sB/10/- FOB main ports—a reduction of 10% on the 1955 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 £ A62/10/-; FMS (Sun-dried) £A6I/15/-; Smoked £ A 59.

FlJl;—Plantation £FS7/5/6 for top grade: FMS £FS7; moister grades £ F55/18/- to £FS4/2/- minimum.

W. SAMOA: —Basic price of £836/14/4, which varies according to distance of producing district from Apia.

E. SAMOA:—Producers receive 5 cents lb. (SUSII2 or £ A5O approx, per long ton). Periodic bonus, if average proceeds exceed Govt, buying price and expenses.

SOLOMONS:—Honiara/Gizo: Hot Air

£A6I/10/-; Mixed Ha/Fm £As7; Fm

£AS2/10/-; Yandina: 5/- higher.

NEW HEBRIDES:—Buying price on June 1 fell from 7,000 Pac. francs (£A49) to 6,000 Pac. francs (£A42) delivered Vila/ Santo; still at that rate early August.

FRENCH OCEANIA;—ApriI: Top grade 8.36 Pac. francs per kilo (£A6O/12/- per long ton) in store, Papeete; minimum price for lowest grade 5.35 Pac. francs (£A39 per long ton).

TONGA:—A Grade, £TS2/5/-; B Grade, £T46/5/-.

COOK IS.:—Local price is based on £ NZSB/14/4 (£Stg.sB/10/-) per ton f.0.b.. in bulk. Outer islands copra producers receive approx. SVid N.Z. per lb. equal to £ N.Z.30 per ton.

COCOA:—lslands prices are based on the rate for Accra cocoa which on August 8 was £Stg.23s, c.i.f.

P.-N.G.: Good grade, £A235, ex wharf Sydney.

W. SAM.; Aug. 9, £Stg.2oo. f.o.b. Apia.

COFFEE:—P.-N.G.: Top grades 6/- lb. in store. Sydney; Fr. Oceania: 75 francs per kilo, unhusked PEANUTS;—P.-N.G.: In shell, large, well cleaned. 1/7 per lb. del. Sydney: kernels, 1/4 x / 2 lb. del. Sydney.

RUBBER:—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on August 8 was: No. 1 RSS, spot, 104% Straits cents (36.95 d Aust. approx.) per lb.

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp, Tulk & Co., Sydney, reports that early supplies from the new crop are nominally quoted at: C.i.f. Sydney. Tahiti White and Yellow label, processed, standard packs, 60/, Green, 58/- per lb.

RICE (Australian): —Price adjusted May 1 each year. P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed, 112 lb. bags, 5 tons and over, £62 per ton, f 0.b.; under 5 tons £62/10 per ton. Vitamized and enriched white.

112 lb. bags, 5 tons and over, £3 per ton f.0.b.: under 5 tons, £69 pj Other Pac. Islands: Dry, brown, etJ per ton. f.o b. Sydney or Melboum PEARL SHELL.—Prices betweea majority of the Torres Strait pn and Otto Gerdau Co. (USA) for I£. main as for 1955, i.e.; Sound

£A736; D, £A39O; E. £A3Oo; Ee,

all f.0.b., Australian ports; nx quotation by independent pearlers:

£ Ab6O-920; D, £A6Oo-650; E, £A‘.

EE, £A275-300. Manihiki: Lagoon j Tuamotus: Approx. £A1,300, long t raw shell on beach, Hikueru.

TROCHUS:—One Sydney agent one 8 quoted: New Hebrides £4BO-£5OO £520; and 8.5.1., £520; “accord grade”; another quoted £470 to B

Green Snail:—Quote No.

Pacific, in store Sydney, £475, to rejects; lower grades £400( Quote No. 2: £465-£4BO.

London And U.S. Prices

Copra:—London. Aug. 8, Straits buyers, £Stg.63/10/-; Philippines $3 c.i f. Pac. Coast, del. weights.

Coconut Oil:—London, Aug. 8; in bulk, 1% FFA, £Stg.94/10/-, c.:. ton; Straits, bulk, 3Vz%l £Stg.B9/10/-, c.i.f., per ton.

Cocoa:—London, July 20: Accn in bond (buyers), Sept. 1, £Stg.2 ton.

Coffee:—London, July 20: Uganr busta, grade 10 (unwashed). Am shipment, £Stg.2s9 f.o.b. M Santos, extra prime, 510/- per 5c in bond London.

Rubber: —London, August 8; Spot; Stg.3iy B d.