Islands Produce

ss otherwise stated, quotations are tralian currency. Aust. £ equals Imately 16/- Stg., NZ, or W. 18/- Fiji; 20/- Tonga, Solomons & areas; 196 Pac. Frs,; SUS 2 25.)

Copra

British Ministry of Food 9-years :t. which governed Copra prices aa and New Guinea, Fiji, Western Solomon Islands, and Gilbert and Colony (and. to some extent, In and Cook Islands) expired on De -31, 1957; since when each Terrl is made its own arrangements for m and marketing of copra. rA - NEW GUINEA:—AII production /ered to Copra Marketing Board, ed by six members, including three s’ representatives; and the Board distribution and sales, and makes its to the producers. Production alnly to (a) Unilever (under con :overing 1960), (b) Australia (for onsumptlon) and (c) crushing-mill laul. Prices generally arranged in mce with ruling rate In Philippines , with premiums for hot-air dried.

July 1, 1960, P-NG Copra Tentative Purchase Prices, for lelivered main ports: Hot-Air Dried, jer ton; FMS, £A63/10/- per ton; Dried, £A62/10/- per ton. —No Government control —producers ere they wish. Bulk of copra goes shing-mills in Suva. On Nov. 7 were: HAD £PS2/15/-, FM /-• STE R N SAMOA:—Official Copra receives all production, and sells ind makes payments to producers, proportion goes to Unilever, at Ines FM grade rates, plus pre up to £S3 per ton for hot ;d. Prices since March, 1959, have Hot-air dried, £867/13/8 per ton; ed No. 1. £865/3/8; sun-dried £B6l/13/8. 3A: —Sales are under Government . Part of production goes to Europe, arrangement with Unilever con by Philippines prices, and part open market. )MONS: —All production marketed i official Copra Board, at prices on Philippines market. Price de as from Nov. 1: Ist grade, 0/-; 2nd grade, £A6I; 3rd grade, 0/- per ton, f.0.b., BSIP ports. The Board is subsidising the price by mately £AI2 per ton.

IERT AND ELLlCE:—Production ed in Europe through official Copra at prices based on Philippines less “stabilisation fund” charges. •MOA: —Producers receive 7 cents lb. 5.8 or £A7O/4/6 approx, per long Periodic bonus, if average proceeds Govt, buying price and expenses.

HEBRIDES:—Price rose on i to £ A4l/10/- (8,300 Pac. francs) delivered Vila/Santo. French price . 4 was heavy francs per metric 1.f., Marseilles. £ IS. AND NIUE IS : Subject to ira contract provisions between Cook I Niue shippers and Abels, Ltd., of id, who operate the only NZ copra ig mill, the price paid is average price for previous month, less ig charges. Actual price paid to ers varies widely from Island to ranging from £NZ3O to £NZSO i.

SLAUS: Price Is based on the ! London price for the month prior ment to Auckland crushers.

Other Produce

COCOA:—lslands prices are based on the rate for Ghana cocoa which on Nov. 7 was Stg.2l7/10/- per ton ci.f. Sydney.

W. SAMOA:—Nominal price quoted in Sydney on Nov. 8: £S2IO, f.0.b., Apia, grade 1: £SI9S, grade 2.

P.-N.G.: Nov. B.—Quota No. 1: £245 (best quality). Quote No. 2: £240 (medium grade).

COFFEE.—P.-N.G.: Nov. 8, good quality A grade, per lb, 4/1; B grade, 4/-; C grade. 4/- c.i.f., Sydney.

In early October, world coffee reports showed: Tanganyika A, £ 5tg.355 per ton.

B £ Stg.3so; Kenya A £ Stg.42o, B £Stg.3so, U/G £ Stg.32o; Uganda Robusta, Nov. £ Stg.l62.

PEANUTS: P.-N.G.: Nov. 8, Kernels: White Spanish 1/6 lb del. buyer’s store; Red Spanish, 1/4; Virginia Bunch, 1/7.

In Shell, 1/- lb.

RUBBER: —P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Nov. 7 was: No. 1 RSS, spot, 89*/2 Straits cents per lb (31.21 d Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karn Tulk Ar Co., Sydney, advised Nov. 8: White and yellow label, processed, standard packs. 42/9; green label, 41/6, c.i.f., Sydney.

RICE (Aust.): Prices as from May 1960—P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed, 112 lb bags, 5 tons and over, £56/10/per ton, f.0.w.; under 5 tons £57 per ton. Vltamised and enriched white, 112 lb bags, 5 tons and over, £63 per ton, f.0.w.; under 5 tons, £63/10/- per ton.

Other Pac. Islands: Dry, brown, etc., £66 per ton f.0.w., Sydney or Melbourne.

PEARL SHELL.—Quotations for Aus tralian White M.O.P. Shell on Nov. 8 by

Sydney independent shell agents were: Sound £ AB5O, D £A6OO, E £A3OO, EE £ A2OO (in store Sydney). Demand slackening. Cook Islands: Penrhyu £NZSOO (approx.), f.0.b., Rarotonga. Mani hiki: Lagoon closed. Suwarrow: Black lip shell season will end late Nov.

TROCHUS; Quote No. I—Papua-N.G. and 8.5.1. — £l7O per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

Quote No. 2; £l6O per ton.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—In short supply; buyers are quoting £450-£470 per ton.

CROCODILE SKINS; 12 in. and over, small-scale, first quality: 12/- per in.

PAPUAN GUM: £BO per ton delivered buyer's store, Sydney.

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quote 2/- to 4/- lb for well processed commercial varieties.

SHARK FINS: Suva merchants offer 3/per lb for well-dried fins of commercial quality.

Londor and US Quotations

Copra: LONDON, Nov. 7, Philippines, in bulk. $lB2 US per long ton, c.i.f., UK/ Nth. European ports. Straits/Borneo, FMS, delivered weights, c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports. £Stg.6s/10/- per long ton. NEW YORK: Nov. 7, Philippines $172.50 US per short ton, c.i.f. Pacific Coast ports.

CEYLON: 880 Rupees per ton, c.i.f. (£1 Australian is equal to about 2.25 US Dollars > Coconut Oil: LONDON, Nov. 7. Ceylon, 1%, in bulk, £Stg.loo per ton, c.i.f., UK/ North European ports. Straits, 3%, £ Stg.94/10/- c.i.f.

Rubber: LONDON, Nov. 7, c.i.f., RSS No. 1, Spot, 26*/2d Stg. per lb. Apr./June, 26Vid Stg. lb. Nov. shipment 26d Stg. lb.