Ands Produce

css otherwise stated, quotations are itralian 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 Pood 9-years ct which governed copra prices G, Fiji. W. Samoa, BSI, and Gilbert lllice Is. (and to some extent, in and Cook Is.) expired on De • 31, 1957; since when each Terri as made its own arrangements for ion and marketing of copra. [JA - NEW GUINEA:—AII production [vered to Copra Marketing Board, led by six members, including three rs’ representatives; and the Board distribution and sales, and makes nts to the producers. Production nainly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) 11a for local consumption, (c) ng-mill in Rabaul, and (d) Japan js as available). Prices generally vlth ruling rate in Philippines, with ims for hot-air dried. y Board’s Tentative Purchase for copra delivered main ports are: ,r Dried, £AS4/10/- per ton; FMS, per ton; Smoke-Dried, £AS2 per :—No Government control —producers here they wish. Bulk of copra goes ishing-mills in Suva. On Apr. 30 were HAD £P47/5/-, FM 15/-.

STERN SAMOA:—Official Copra takes all production, sells same and payments to producers. It goes r to Abels Ltd., NZ crushers, and ilever, UK. fGA:—Sales are under Government 1. Part of production goes to Europe, arrangement with Unilever con [ by Philippines prices, and part open market.

OMON IS.:—All production marketed :h official BSI Copra Board, at prices on Philippines rates. Output goes ilever, UK; to Australian crushers; he balance on to the open market price in Apr. was: Ist grade, /-; 2nd grade, £47/10/-; 3rd grade, /- per ton, f.0.b., BSIP ports.

BERT AND ELLlCE:—Production ted in Europe through official Copra , at prices based on Philippines less freight, etc. The Govt, pays /10/- per ton subsidy.

V HEBRIDES:—On Apr. 30, the copra was approximately £A37/15/- (7,550 :rancs) per ton delivered Vila/Santo. b price then was 82 heavy , per metric ton, c.i.f., Marseilles. )K IS.: —Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., ickland, who operate the only NZ crushing mill. Price paid is average •n price for previous three months, landling charges. Price for second sr of 1962 was £NZ49/17/7 Ist grade, 8/12/7 standard grade—both f.0.b., onga.

Other Produce

20 A; —lslands prices are usually oai the rates for Ghana cocoa which pr. 27 had dropped to £ Stg.l66/5/on, c.i.f., Sydney.

SAMOA:—Season almost ended nominal prices quoted in Sydney late Apr.: grade 1 £ Stg.2Bo, 2 £ 5tg.265, f.0.b., Apia. tf.G.; Apr. 27—Quote No. 1; In store

Rabaul, export quality, £215; quote No. 2: best quality, in store Islands ports, £2OO.

COFFEE,—P.-N.G.: Apr. 27, good quality A grade, per lb, 4/- to 4/2; B grade, 4/-; C grade, 2/6 to 3/-, c.i.f., Sydney.

Overseas c.i.f. coffee prices were reported Apr. 27 as: Kenya A, f.a.q., £ 5tg.465, B £ Stg.4oo, C £ Stg.34o; Tanganyika AA £ 5tg.375, A £ Stg.36o, B £Stg.33o; Buguishu AA £ Stg.33o; Uganda Robusta £ Stg. 169/-/-.

Peanuts: P.-N.G.: F.0.B., Lae, Apr. 27

Kernels: White Spanish, 1/4 lb; Red Spanish, 1/2; Virginia Bunch, 1/7, in shell 1/1.

RUBBER:—P.-N.G price is based on Singapore rate, which on Apr. 26 was: No. 1 RSS, Spot, 79 Straits cents per lb (27.86 d Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS: Victor Karp. Tulk &■ Co., Sydney, reported Apr. 27: White and yellow label, processed, standard packs 41/-, green label 40/-, c.i.f., Sydney.

RICE (Aust.): Prices as from May. 1962—P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed, 112 lb bags. 5 tons and over, £59/-/- per ton, f.0.w.; under 5 tons £59/10/-. Vitamised and enriched white, 112 lb bags, 5 tons and over, £65/15/f.0.w.; under 5 tons, £66/5/-. Other Pac. Islands: Dry, white or brown, etc., £67/10/- (any quantity), f.0.w., Sydney or Melbourne.

PEARL SHELL.—Quotations for Aus tralian M.O.P. Shell on Apr. 27 by Sydney Independent shell agents were; Sound £ A 825, D £ASSO, E £A3OO. EE £AI9O (in store Sydney). Cook Islands: Penrhyn £NZSOO (approx.), f.0.b., Raro tonga.

TROCHUS: Quote No. I—Papua

£125 per ton, f.0.b., Sydney: N.G. — £125 per ton, c.1.f., Sydney; £l4O per ton, f.0.b., Sydney. Quote No. 2: Papua— £l3s per ton; NG, £125 per ton.

Green Snail Shell.—Quote No 1.

£265 per ton; Quote No. 2; £325 (best quality).

CROCODILE SKINS: 12 in. and over, first quality: P.-N.G. —Quote No. 1 15/per in., small scale (salt water), 10/per in. large scale (fresh water), f.0.b., P-NG port; Quote No. 2 16/-; 8.5.1. — Quote No. 1 16/- per in. (small scale) del. Sydney; Quote No. 2 16/- (small scale).

PAPUAN GUM: £95 per ton delivered buyer’s store, Sydney.

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

SHARK FINS: Suva merchants offer F3/per lb for well-dried fins of commercial quality.

London and US Quotations

Copra: LONDON, Apr. 26, Philippines, in bulk, $175 US per long ton, c.i.f., UK/ Nth. European ports. Malayan, FMS, delivered weights, c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports—not quoted for some weeks. NEW YORK; Apr. 26, Philippines $l5O US per short ton, c.i.f. Pacific Coast ports.

CEYLON: 910 Rupees per ton, c.i.f.

Coconut Oil: LONDON, Apr. 26, Ceylon, 1%, in bulk, £Stg.9s/10/- per ton, c.i.f., UK/North European ports. Straits, 3%, £Stg.BB/10/-, c.i.f.

Rubber: LONDON, Apr, 26, c.i.f., RSS No. 1, Spot, 23 7 /sd. Stg. lb; July/Sept. ship ment 25%d. Stg. lb; May shipment 23-3/16d. Stg. per lb. (£1 Australian is equal to about 2.25 US Dollars or IOVz Rupees).