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; 168 Pac. Francs; SUS 2.23.)

Copra

Price negotiated between British Ministry oi Food and British South Pacific Terri tories for 1957 was £ Stg.s4 FOB main ports—a drop of 7% per cent, on the 1956 price. Stabilisation and other charges re duce actual producer price.

PAPUA - NEW GUINEA:—Hot A 1 r £ A57/15/-; FMS (sun dried) £AS7; Smoked, £AS4/5/-, FlJl:—Plantation grade £PS2/5/6; FMS £FS2.

W. SAMOA:—Sellers: 22/6-23/6 per 100 lbs. Exporters; £B4l and £847 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/Qlzo Yandina: Ist grade, £AS7/10/-; 2nd, £AS3/10/-; 3rd, £ A4B/10/-.

New Hebrides:—Nov. 8; 7,000 Pac.

francs (about £A42) delivered Vila/Santo.

TONGA:—Ist grade £T4B; 2nd grade £T42. Price adjustment to be made at end of 1957.

COOK ISLANDS: —Local price is based on £Stg.s4 (£NZS4/4/l) per ton, f.0.b., with premium of 30/- (NZ) for top grade kiln dried. Shipping, handling, shrinkage and storage charges reduce the outer islands price to about £NZ3O per ton, basic rate.

COCOA:—lslands prices are based on the rate for Ghana cocoa which on Nov. 8 was £ Stg.2Bs per ton, c.i.f. London.

P.-N.G.:—Nov. 8: Good grade £A26O ex wharf, Sydney; Ist quality £275.

W. SAMOA:—Nov. 8; £Stg.2Bs f.o.b.

Apia.

COFFEE:—P.-N.G.: Nov. B—Top grade within range 5/3 per lb.

PEANUTS:—P.-N.G-, Nov. 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 Nov. 6 was: No. 1 RSS, spot, 78Vfe Straits cents (25.35 d Aust. approx.) per lb.

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp, Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported on Nov. 8. New crop, c.i.f., Sydney, Tahiti White and Yellow label, processed standard packs 61/9, Green 59/9 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.w.; under 5 tons £6l/10/- per ton. Vitamised and enriched white, 112 lb bags, 5 tons and over, £67/10/- per ton, f.0.w.; under 5 tons. £6B per ton.

Other Pac. Islands: Dry, brown, etc., £7O per ton, f.0.w., Sydney or Melbourne.

PEARL SHELL.—Nov. 11, 1957, quotation by independent pearlers; Sound, £AB6S;

D. £ A 650; E, £A4SO; EE, £A2 (in store, Sydney). Cook Is.-Manihikl; No 8; Export price, £Stg.72s f.o.b. Rar tonga.

TROCHUS:—Market still very wea Quote No. 1, NG, £A3IO; BSI, £A3I New Hebrides, agent reports “No bushu during past month”; Quote No. 2. N £ A 320. Prices are less rejects and bas on Sydney weights.

GREEN SNAlL:—Difficult to se nominal price £A29O.

London And U.S. Prices

Copra:—London, Nov. 7: Philippines! bulk, Nov./Dec. 174 dollars (sellej Straits/Borneo, fair, merchantable, d weight c.i.f. UK-Nth. European poi Nov./Dec. £Stg.63y4 (buyer), £Stg.6: (seller). New York, Nov. 7: Phllippin c.i.f. U.S. Pac. coast ports, per ton 162: dollars nominal.

Coconut Oil:—London, Nov. 7; Stral crude, bulk, c.i.f. Nov./Dec. £95 sell Ceylon, in bulk, fair, UK-Nth. Europe ports, Nov./Dec. £lOO seller.

Rubber:—London, Nov. 6: RSS No.

Spot 23Vsd Stg., Apr. to June ’5B, 24?

Nov. ’5B, 23d.