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:—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 Nov. 14 were- First grade, £PSI/15/-; second grade, £F46/17/6; third grade, £F39. 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 Sept., were: Ist grade, $130; 2nd grade, $126; 3rd grade, $ll6 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 $29.36 per ton, Second Grade $18.16 per ton.

NEW HEBRlDES:—Official price on Oct. 10 was approximately $64 (6,400 Pac. Francs). French price in Oct. was 785 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 last quarter, Oct.-Dec., 1966, were £NZS6/6/l Ist grade, £NZSS/1/1 standard grade— both per ton, f.0.b., Rarotonga.

Other Produce

COCOA;—lslands prices are usually based on the rates for Ghana cocoa.

On Oct. 24 these were approx. £Stg.l96/5/- per ton, Jan.-Mar., c.i.f., Sydney.

On Oct. 25, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $350 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $403. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $435, in store N.G. ports $391 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

Overseas market indecisive, in Oct. awaiting accurate information regarding next Ghana crop.

W. SAMOA:—Current prices quoted in Sydney, on Oct. 25 were; Grade 1, £Stg.29o; grade 2, £Stg.2s6/10/- per ton, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE.—P.-N.G.: Oct. 25, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 40c per lb; B grade 38c; C grade 35c. c.i.f., Sydney.

Quote No. 2, A grade 43c per lb; B grade 40c; Plantation X 39c; Native X 36c, del. Sydney.

Approximate overseas f.o.b. coffee prices were reported on Oct. 25 as: Kenya AA £Stg.37s per ton, A £ Stg.36o, B £Stg.3ss, C £Stg.347, TT £ Stg.3so; Uganda Robusta (std. grade) Dec. shipment £ 5tg.237/10/-, Jan. £ 5tg.242, Feb. £Stg.24l, BHP £Stg.2l7, f.0.b.; Indonesian Robusta API Special £ 5tg.272, API £Stg.2s2, AP2 £Stg.22B, APIO £ 5tg.242, c. and f.

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.: Sydney agents re ported Oct. 25, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

RUBBER.—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Oct. 21 was: Nov. shipment 64 Va Straits cents per lb,

c.i.f. (18.69 c Aust.); Prompt shipment

63% Straits cents (18.38 c Aust.); Dec. shipment 65Va Straits cents (18.89 c Aust.) per lb.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported on Oct. 25: 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 Oct. 25 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: Oct. 25 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: Oct. 25, 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 Oct 25

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 $lB5 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 F3/- (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, Oct. 21, Philippines, in bulk, SUSI 73 (equal to £Stg.6l/9/3) per long ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports. Malayan IV c.i.f. UK/Nth Euro pean ports, UQ. NEW YORK: Oct. 21 Philippines, c.i.f., Pacific Coast ports nom. SUSI6O. CEYLON; Spot, 930 Rupees per ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Sept.-Oct.

shipment, Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.96 per ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, Oct. 21, Spot

19%d Stg. lb; Nov. shipment 19 3/16d Stg. lb; Jan. shipment 19 13/16d Stg. lb.