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 Terri tories for 1957 was, £ Stg.s4 FOB main ports—a drop of IV2 per cent, on the 1956 price. Stabilisation and other charges re duce actual producer price.

PAPUA - NEW GUINEA:—Hot A i r £ A57/15/-: FMS (sun dried) £AS7; Smoked, £AS4/5/-.

FlJl:—Plantation grade £FS2/5/6; FMS £FS2.

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 4 cents lb. (SUSB9.6 or £A4O approx, per long ton).

Periodic bonus, if average proceeds exceed Govt, buying price and expenses.

SOLOMONS:—Honiara/Gizo Yandina; Ist grade, £57/10/-; 2nd, £AS3/10/-; 3rd, £ A4B/10/-.

NEW HEBRIDES:—Buying price on May 11 fell from 6,000 Pac. francs (about £ A42/2/8) delivered Vila/Santo to 5,750 Pac. francs (£A4O/5/-). European price, July 31. 68,750 Met. francs (£ABB/8/ll) 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. SVid NZ per lb. equal to £ NZ3O per ton.

COCOA:—lslands prices are based on the rate for Accra cocoa which on Aug. 8 was £Stg.239 per ton, c.i.f. London.

P.-N.G.:—Aug. 8: Good grade £A23O ex wharf, Sydney.

W. SAMOA:—JuIy 31: £Stg.23s f.o.b.

Apia.

COFFEE:—P.-N.G. Aug. 8; Quote No. 1— Top grade 6/6 per lb; Quote No. 2—5/11 y 2 per lb.

PEANUTS:—P.-N.G., Aug. 8: Kernels 1/10; Virginia bunch, in shell, large, well cleaned, 1/4-1/5 per lb. del. Sydney; other 1/2-1/3 del. Sydney.

RUBBER:—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Aug. 8 was: No. 1 RSS, spot, 92 3 8 Straits cents (32 3 Ad Aust. approx.) per lb.

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp, Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported on Aug. 8: New crop, c.i.f. Sydney, Tahiti White and Yellow label, processed, standard packs, 59/-, Green 57/- per lb.

BICE (Australian):—Price from May 1957 —P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dresse: 112 lb bags, 5 tons and over, £6l p« ton, f.0.w.; under 5 tons £6l/10/- pi ton. Vitamised and enriched white, 1 lb bags, 5 tons and over, £67/10/- pi ton, f.0.w.; under 5 tons, £6B per tot Other Pac. Islands: Dry, brown, etc., £ per ton, f.0.w., Sydney or Melbourne.

PEARL SHELL.—Prices between tl majority of the Torres Strait produce and Otto Gerdau Co. (USA) for 19! (1957 prices not yet made public) we i.e.: Sound, £A736; D, £A39O; E, £A3O EE. £A225; all f.o.b. Aust. ports; Aug. 1957, quotation by independent pearler Sound, £AB6S; D, £A6SO; E, £A4SO; E £ A 255 (includes cost of getting shell fro source to Sydney, and loss in Sydnf weights). Cook Is.-Manihiki: Aug. 8: Expo price, £Stg.69o f.o.b. Rarotonga (mark weakening). Tuamotus: 175-185 Pac. frarx per kilo (£AI,OOO-£A1.060 per long toi f.o.b. Papeete.

TROCHUS: One Sydney agent on Aug. quoted; P.-N.G. £A3SO, ex wharf Sydne but no business. He was unable to quo for BSI and NH. A second Sydney age reported “no market”.

GREEN SNAIL; Two Sydney agents ) Aug. 8 reported “no market”.

London And U.S, Prices

Copra:—London, Aug. 8: Philippines, bulk, Aug./Sept. $l6B (seller); Strati Borneo, fair, merchantable, del. weigh c.i.f., UK - North European pon £Stg.63/5/- (buyer), £Stg.63/15/- (selleE New York, Aug. 8; Philippines, c.i.f.

Pacific Coast ports, $162.50 (asked). > Coconut Oil: —London. Aug. 8; Ceylii in bulk, fair, UK-North European por Aug./Sept. £ Stg.97 (quoted); Strai, crude, c.i.f., bulk, Aug./Sept. £Stg.99/L (reseller).

Cocoa:—London, July 29; Accra Oo Dec. shipment £Stg.233/15/-, Jan./MI shipment £Stg.232/10/-, both c.i.f. Liv\ pool. London, Aug. 8; Accra, £Stg.:. c. and f. London (buyers withdrawn).

Rubber;—London, Aug. 7: Spot buye 27'sd lb c.i.f. Oct./Dec. 27 s /ad; June, 19 27d.