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.; 5U51.125.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA: —All 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:—The Fiji Coconut Industry Board fixes the prices to be paid for Fiji copra on a formula based on that for Philippines copra, and taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc. The copra must be graded at centres in Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and Taveuni. Prices in Suva to Sept. 18 were: First grade, £FS4/2/6; second grade, £F49/5/-; third grade, £P4I/7/6. A scale of deductions has been established for copra delivered to grading centres other than Suva.

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 on 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. Prices, in July, were: Ist grade, $130; 2nd grade, $126; 3rd grade, $ll5 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 $12.42 per ton, Second Grade $4.21 per ton.

NEW HEBRIDES: —Official price on Aug. 3 was approximately $76 (7,600 Pac. Francs). French price in Aug. was 840 francs per metric ton, c.i.f., Marseilles.

COOK IS.:—Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operate the only NZ copra crushing mill. Price paid is average London price for previous three months, less handling charges. Prices for third quarter, July-Sept., 1966, were £NZS7/14/9 Ist grade, £NZS6/9/9 standard grade—both per ton, f.0.b., Rarotonga.

Other Produce

COCOA: —Islands prices are usually based on the rates for Ghana cocoa.

On Aug. 29 these were approx. £ Stg.2lo per ton, c.i.f., Sydney.

On Aug. 29, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $4lO per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $440. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $475, in store N.G. ports $450 (for UK, continent and USA shipments).

W. SAMOA: —Supplies scarce, however, nominal prices quoted in Sydney, in July were: Grade 1, £Stg.3oo; grade 2, £ 5tg.265 per ton, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE. P.-N.G.: Aug. 29, good quality A grade, per lb. 40c; B grade 38c; C grade, 35c, c.i.f., Sydney.

Approximate overseas f.o.b. coffee prices were reported on Aug. 29 as: Uganda Robusta (Std.) £Stg.23B per ton, BHP £Stg.22s; Indonesian Robusta API Special £Stg.267, API £ 5tg.259, AP2 £Stg.24s, APIO Stg.2sl; Kenya, Bugisu and Tanzania coffees were un quoted.

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.: Sydney agents re ported Aug. 29, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

RUBBER.—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Aug. 27 was: Sept, shipment 6778 Straits cents per lb c.i.f. (23.75 c Aust.); Oct. shipment 63% Straits cents per lb (21.94 c Aust.); prompt shipment, nom., 62% Straits cents per lb (21.59 c Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported on Aug. 29: Prices are; white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.40, green label, $5.30, c.i.f., Sydney.

RICE (Aust.): Prices, until May, 1967, are—P.-N.G.: Dried brown rice, 112 lb bags, $l2l per ton, f.o.w. Sydney or Melbourne. Vitamin enriched white rice, 112 lb bags, $134 per ton, f.o.w. Other Pacific Islands: Polished white or dried brown rice, $142 per ton, f.o.w.

PEARL SHELL.—Quotations for Aus tralian M.O.P. Shell on Aug. 29 by Sydney independent shell agents were: Sound $1,650 per ton, D $l,lBO, E $670, EE $470 (in store Sydney). Cook Islands: Penrhyn £NZ32O (approx.), f.0.b., Raro tonga.

TROCHUS. —Sydney buyers Indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers: Aug. 29 Papua $l6O-$lBO per ton; N.G., 8.5.1.—5150-$l7O per ton, f.o.b.

Islands ports.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Sydney buyers quoted: Aug. 29, No. 1, Ist grade $490, f.o.b. Islands ports, 2nd grade, nom., $240 on wharf, Sydney. No. 2, $440 (best quality), on wharf, Sydney.

Crocodile Skins. On Aug. 29

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, first grade quality as follows: P.-N.G.— $2.90 per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $l.BO per in. 8.5.1. $2.90 (small scale) del. Sydney.

PAPUAN GUM; $l9O per ton, del.

Sydney; New Guinea graded gum $2lO per ton, f.0.b., New Guinea ports.

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quote F 2- (4 in. 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, Aug. 29, Philippines, in bulk, SUSIB7 (equal to £Stg.67/l/5) per long ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports. Malayan 1% c.i.f. UK/Nth. Euro pean ports, UQ. NEW YORK: Aug 29, Philippines, c.i.f., Pacific Coast ports, nom. SUSI 67. CEYLON: Spot, 975 Rupees per ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Aug.-Sept.

shipment, Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.loo per ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, Aug. 27, Spot

18-13/16d Stg. lb; Sept, shipment 18%d; Dec. shipment 19-7/16d Stg. lb.