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 7y 2 per cent, on the 1956 price. Stabilisation and other charges re duce actual producer price.

Papua - New Guinea:—Hot Air

£AS7/15/-; FMS (sun dried) £AS7; Smoked, £ A54/5/-.

FlJl;—Plantation grade £FS3/10/6; FMS £FS3/5/-.

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: Honlara/Gizo Yandina; Ist grade, £AS7/10/-; 2nd, £AS3/10/-; 3rd, £ A4B/10/-.

New Hebrides:—Dec. 11: 7,000 Pac.

francs (about £A42) delivered Vila/Santo.

TONGA:—Ist grade £T4B; 2nd grade £ T 42. Price adjustment to be made at end of 1957.

COOK ISLANDS:—LocaI 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: —Islands prices are based on the rate for Ghana cocoa which on Dec. 5 was £ Stg.32o per ton, c.i.f. London.

P.-N.G.: —Dec. 6. no reliable quote avail able in Sydney, situation in state of flux following increased London prices.

W. SAMOA:—Dec. 5: £Stg.3lo f.o.b.

Apia.

COFFEE:—P.-N.G.: Dec. s—Top grade within range 5/6 per lb.

PEANUTS:—P.-N.G., Dec. 5: 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 Dec. 5 was: No. 1 RSS, spot, 78 Straits cents (27.08 d Aust. approx.) per lb.

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp, Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported on Dec. 5; 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.—Dec. 5, 1957.

by independent pearlers: Sound, £AB65f D, £ A 650; E, £A4SO; EE, £A25$ (in store Sydney). Cook Is.-Manihiki: Dei 5: Export price, £ 5tg.725 f.o.b. Ran* tonga.

TROCHUS;—Market still very weak* and tending to weaken further. Quota No. 1, NG. £A3IO; BSI. £A3IS: New Hebrides, agent reports “No busine® during past month”; Quote No. 2, NO* £ A 320. Prices are less rejects and base! on Sydney weights.

GREEN SNAlL:—Difficult to sel* nominal price £A29O.

London And U.S. Prices

Copra:—London, Dec. 4: Philippines in bulk, Nov./Dec. 184y 2 dollars (seller* Straits/Borneo, fair, merchantable, del. weight c.i.f. UK-Nth. European portf Nov./Dec. £Stg.66y 2 (buyer), £ Stg.67* (seller). New York, Dec. 4: Philippine# c.i.f. U.S. Pac. coast ports, per ton 172* dollars asked.

Coconut Oil:—London, Dec. 5: Strait* crude, bulk, c.i.f. Nov./Dec. £lO4 nominal Ceylon, in bulk, fair, UK-Nth. Europeal ports. Nov./ Dec. £lO9 quoted.

Rubber:—London, Dec. 5: RSS No 1 Spot 23V4d Stg., April to June, 1958. 24* Nov., 1958, 23V 2 d.