Islands Produce

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are Ju 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

(1957 MOF price not yet finalised. Most territories have tentatively dropped their prices by 10 per cent.) Price negotiated between British Ministry of Food and British South Pacific Territories for 1956 was £ Stg.sB/10/- FOB main ports. Stabilisation funds and other charges reduce the actual prices to pro ducers.

Papua-New Guinea: Approx:

£56/5/-; £55/11/6; £53/2/0 tentatively FIJI; Tentatively; Plant. gde.

£Fso/5/6; Fms £Fso.

W. SAMOA:—Sellers: 22/6-23/6 per 100 lbs. Exporters: £S4I and £S47 f.o.b.

Apia, for two grades.

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 Yandina: Ist grade, £56; 2nd £52; 3rd £45, NEW HEBRIDES;—Buying price on Mar. 30 rose from 5,750 Pac. francs to 6,000 Pac francs (£A42) delivered Vila/ Santo. European price Mar. 22, 68,000 Met. fcs. (£ AB5/8/6 1 c.i.f. per short ton.

NEW CALEDONIA: —Noumea, Feb. 20: 7,250 Pac. francs (£ASO).

FRENCH OCEANIA:—Recent prices were; Top grade 10.50 Pac. francs per kilo (£A62/15/- per long ton) f.0.b., Papeete; lowest grade 5.35 Pac. francs (£A39).

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. 3‘Ad NZ per lb. equal to £ NZ3O per ton.

COCOA:—lslands prices are based on the rate for Accra which on Apr. 8 was £ Stg.l9s per ton, c.i.f. London.

P.-N.G.: —Good grade quote No. 1 £220, quote No. 2 £220, both ex wharf Sydney.

W. SAM.: No stock.

COFFEE:—P.-N.G. Apr. 8: Top grade quote No. 1 6/9; quote No. 2: 6/10-6/11 per lb.

PEANUTS:—P.-N.G.: Virginia bunch, in shell, large, well cleaned, 1/9 per lb. del.

Sydney; other 1/5 del. Sydney.

RUBBER: —P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Apr. 8, was: No. 1 RSS. spot, 90% Straits cents (32-l/5d Aust. approx.) per lb.

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp. Tulk & Go., Sydney, reported on April 6: New crop, c.i.f. Sydney, Tahiti White and Yellow label, processed, standard packs, 60/-, Green 58/- per lb.

RICE (Australian): —Price from May 1. 1957 P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed. 112 lb. bags, 5 tons and over, £6l per ton, f.0.b.; under 5 tons £6l/10/per ton. Vitamised and enriched 'white, 112 lb. bags. 5 tons and over. £67/10/per ton f.0.b.; under 5 tons, £6B per ton.

To be revised in May: Other Pac..o —Dry, brown, etc., £7O per toon Sydney or Melbourne.

PEARL SHELL.—Prices betwew majority of the Torres Strait pi and Otto Gerdau Co. (USA) for malned as for 1955, i.e.: Sounor

£A736; D, £A39O; E. £A3Oo; Ee,3

all f.0.b., Australian ports; Apr. ,* quotation by independent Sound £ A 900; D, £A67O; E, EE, £A26O. Cook Is.-Manihiki: Loose shell on beach, £Stg.44B ton. Export price, Apr. 8, f.o.b. Rarotonga. Tuamotus. 175-5 francs per kilo (£ Al.OOO- £ AI,I long ton) f.o.b. Papeete.

TROCHUS:—One Sydney agent ? 8 quoted, in store: N. Heb., .

N.G.. £AS2O; and 8.5.1., £A525, s another quoted: N.G., £AS2O, f.as

Green Snail:—Quote No. 1 J

SW Pacific, in store. Sydney, . subject to rejects. Quote No. 2::S £ A 460.

London And U.S. Prich R

Copra:—London. Apr 5: Straits? fair, merchantable, del. weight?!

United Kingdom-North European Apr./May £Stg.66/5 (nominal). PH C in bulk, Apr./May $176.50 (sellens York, Apr. 5: Philippines, c.i.f. U.S.

Coast Ports, $152.50 (asked).

Coconut Oil;—London, Apr. s::r crude, c.i.f., bulk, Apr./May £3 per ton (reseller). Ceylon, in buo United Kingdom-North European Apr./May shipments £Stg.lo3 (SB Rubber:—London: Apr. 5: Spottc Stg.27V4d lb. (nominal). July/S