Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Aust. $ equals approximately 8/- Stg., NZ, or W. Samoa; 9/- Fiji; 10/- Tonga; 5.381 Ceylon Rupees; 98 Pac. Frs.; $U51.125.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA:—AII production is delivered to Copra Marketing Board, controlled by six members, including three planters’ representatives; and the Board directs distribution and sales, and makes payments to the producers. Production goes mainly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Australia for local consumption, (c) crushing-mill in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus as available). Prices generally tally with ruling rate in Philippines, with premiums for hot-air dried.

P-NG Board’s Tentative Purchase Prices for Copra delivered main ports are: Hot-Air Dried, $143 per ton; FMS, $l4O per ton; Smoke-Dried, $138.98 per ton.

FIJI:—No Government control—pro ducers sell where they wish. Bulk of copra goes to crushing-mills in Suva.

Feb. 21 prices were; HAD £F6O/2/6, M £FS7/12/6.

WESTERN SAMOA: Official Copra Board takes all production, sells same and makes payments to producers. It goes mainly to Abels Ltd., NZ crushers, and the open market. Local price re cently was £56/12/6 Samoan, first grade.

TONGA: Sales are under Government control. Part of production goes to Europe, under arrangement with Unilever controlled by Philippines prices, and part cn to open market.

SOLOMON IS.; All production marketed through official BSI Copra Board, at prices based on Philippines rate. Output goes to Unilever, UK; to Australian crushers; and the balance on to the open market. These prices, in Feb., were: Ist grade, $160; 2nd grade, $156; 3rd grade, £146 per ton, f.0.b., BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLlCE:—Production marketed in Europe through official Copra Board, at prices based on Philippines rates less freight, etc. The Copra Board subsidises the price at: First Grade 512.42 per ton, Second Grade $4.21 per ton.

NEW HEBRIDES:—Last official price was approximately $95 (9,500 Pac. francs). French price in Feb. was 1,040 francs per metric ton, c.i.f., Marseilles.

COOK IS.: —Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., )f Auckland, who operate the only NZ copra crushing mill. Price paid Is average London price for previous three months, less handling charges. Prices for first luarter, Jan.-Mar., 1966. are £NZ67/0/4 Ist grade, £NZ6S/15/4 standard grade— 30th f.0.b., Rarotonga.

Other Produce

COCOA:—lslands prices are usually aased on the rates for Ghana cocoa.

Dn Feb. 24 these were approx. £Stg.lBs per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

On Feb. 24. Quote No. 1; In store Rabaul, export quality $360 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $4OO. Quote No. 2: Best luality, ex-wharf Sydney, $430, in store *.G. ports $374 (for UK, continent and [JSA shipments).

W. SAMOA:—Nominal prices quoted in Sydney, Feb. 23. were: Grade 1,

£ 5tg.227; grade 2, £Stg.l9o, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE, P.-N.G.: Feb. 24, good quality A grade, per lb. 43c; B grade 42c; C grade, 36c-38c, c.i.f., Sydney.

Approximate overseas c.i.f. coffee prices were reported on February 25 as: Kenya A £Stg.4lo, B £Stg.39o, C £ Stg.3Bl; Uganda Robusta (standard) f.a.q. £ Stg.29o; Mataari £Stg.4ls; Harrari £ Stg.3Bo; Singapore Robusta API Special £Stg.27o, API Stg.26o, AP2 £ 5tg.237.

PEANUTS. P.-N.G.: Sydney agents reported Feb. 24 —f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 17c lb.; Virginia bunch 18c lb.

RUBBER.—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Feb. 23 was: Mar. shipment 70‘A Straits cents per lb (20.60 c Aust.), Apr. shipment 70V2 Straits cents per lb (20.76 c Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported Feb. 23: White and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.15, green label $5.05, c.i.f., Sydney.

BICE (Aust.); Prices until May, 1966, are—P.-N.G.: Dry brown and dressed, 112 lb bags, $ll7 per ton, f.o.w.

Vitamised and enriched white, 112 lb bags, $l3O f.o.w. Other Pac. Islands: Dry, white or brown, etc., $136 (any quantity), f.0.w., Sydney or Melbourne.

PEARL SHELL. —Quotations for Aus tralian M.O.P. Shell on Feb. 23 by Sydney independent shell agents were: Sound $1,650, D $l,lBO, E $670, EE $470 (in store Sydney). Cook Islands: Penrhyn £NZ4OO (approx.), f.0.b., Raro tonga.

TROCHUS. —Sydney buyers indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers: Feb. 23, Quote No. 1, nominally $l4O per ton, f.0.b., Islands ports. No. 2 —-Papua—sl6o-$lBO per ton; N.G., 8.5.1. —slso-$l7O per ton.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL. —Sydney buyers quoted; Feb. 23, No. 1, Ist grade, $470 on wharf, Sydney, 2nd grade, $240 on wharf, Sydney. No. 2, $440 (best quality), on wharf, Sydney.

Crocodile Skins. On Feb. 23

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, first grade quality as follows; P.-N.G.— $2.80 per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $1.70 per in. 8.5.1. $2.80 (small scale) del. Sydney.

PAPUAN GUM: $165.50 f.o.b. Islands port, $l9O del. Sydney or Melbourne.

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quoted F 2- (4in. to 7 in.) to P3/- (9 in. to 11 in.) lb for well processed commercial varieties.

SHARK FINS: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers F4/6 per lb for well-dried fins of commercial quality. ICEP Pty. Ltd., 22 Taylor St., North Curl Curl, Sydney, quote 65c to 85c lb., ex-store Sydney, according to quality.

London and US Quotations

COPRA: LONDON, Feb. 22, Philippines, in bulk, SUS2O6 (equal to £Stg.73/10/10) per long ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports. Malayan 1% c.i.f. UK/Nth. Euro pean ports, UQ. NEW YORK: Feb. 22, Philippines, c.i.f., Pacific Coast ports, nom. SUSI9O. CEYLON: Spot, 1,170 Rupees per ton, f.o.b.

Coconut Oil: London, Feb. Ship

ment, Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.llB.

Rubber: London, Feb. 24, Mar.

shipment c.i.f., 21d Stg. lb; Spot 20-3/16d Stg. lb; June shipment 21V4d Stg. lb.