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 Jan. 9 were: First grade, £F46/17/6; second grade, £F4I/17/6; third grade, £F34. 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 £NZS6/12/6 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. Latest prices, in Nov., were: Ist grade, $120; 2nd grade, $116; 3rd grade, $lO6 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 HEBRIDES:—Latest official price on Dec. 9 was approximately $66 (6,600 Pac. Francs). French price in Dec. was 810 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 next quarter, Jan.-Mar., have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at £NZSO/9/- Ist grade, £NZ49/4/standard grade—both per ton, f.o b, Rarotonga.

Other Produce

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

On Dec. 14 these were approx. £Stg.2ol per ton, Mar.-May, c.i.f., Sydney.

On Dec. 19, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, exports quality $4lO per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $450. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $420, in store N.G. ports $377 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. SAMOA:—Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Dec. 19 were: Grade 1, £ Stg.3oo, grade 2, £Stg.27o per ton, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE.—P.-N.G.: Dec. 19, 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; Plantation X 39c; Native X 36c, del.

Sydney.

Approximate overseas coffee prices were reported on Dec. 19 as: Kenya AA (g.a.q.) £ Stg.2l3, A £Stg.392, B £ Stg.3B2 (f.a.q.), AA £Stg.376. A £ 5tg.366, B £ 5tg.362, per ton, f.0.b., Mombasa; Tanzania (g.a.q.) AA £Stg.3B2, A £ 5tg.362, B £Stg.3so (f.a.q.), AA £ 5tg.356, A £Stg.346, B £Stg.342; Bukoba Robusta £Stg.2s6 (f.a.q.); Sumatran Robusta (f.a.q.); API Special £Stg.26l, API £ Stg.2so, AP2 £Stg.226, APIO £ Stg.23B, per ton, c. and f.; Nigerian Robusta £Stg.24s, per ton, c. and f.

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.: Sydney agents re ported Dec. 19, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

RUBBER.—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Dec. 15 was: Jan. shipment 60% Straits cents per lb,

c.i.f. (17.61 c Aust.); Prompt shipment

60 V 8 Straits cents per lb (17.43 c Aust.); Feb. shipment 62 Straits cents per lb (17.98 c Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported on Dec. 19: Prices are: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.30, green label, $5.20, 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 Dec. 19 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 indie* the following quotations to Islands ducers: Dec. 19 Papua $l6O-$180( ton; N.G., $l5O-$l7O per ton, fl Islands ports.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Sydney bui quoted; Dec. 19, No. 1, Ist grade, $ f.o.b. Islands ports, 2nd grade, nj $240 on wharf, Sydney. No. 2, $440 () quality), on wharf, Sydney.

Crocodile Skins. On Dec..

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

PAPUAN GUM: $l9O per ton, Sydney: New Guinea graded gum $lB5 ton, f.0.b., New Guinea ports.

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Suva, quote F 2- (4 in. to 7 in.) to I (9 in. to 11 in.) lb for well proce« commercial varieties.

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

London and US Quotations

COPRA: LONDON, Dec. 16, Philippil in bulk, SUSIB6 (equal to £Stg.66/i: per long ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. Euron ports. Malayan 1% c.i.f. UK/Nth. Er! pean ports, UQ. NEW YORK: Dec.

Philippines, c.i.f., Pacific Coast po nom. SUSIS3. CEYLON: Spot, 1030 Rup per ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Ceylon,

in bulk, £Stg.99/10/- per ton, c.; UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, Dec. 15, S

18-7/16d Stg. lb; Dec. shipment 18d i lb; Mar. shipment 18-15/16d Stg. lb.