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:—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 Feb. 5 were: First grade, £FSI; second grade, £F46/2/6; third grade, £F3B/5/-. 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 Jan., 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 $67.20 per ton for first grade.

NEW HEBRIDES:—Latest official price on Dec. 20 was approximately $7O (7,000 Pac. Francs). French price in Jan. was 855 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.0.b., Rarotonga.

Other Produce

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

On Jan. 25 these were approx. £ Stg.23l/5/- per ton, Mar.-May, c.i.f., Sydney.

On Jan. 24, Quote No. 1; In store Rabaul, export quality $4BB per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $520. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $502, in store N.G. ports $457 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. SAMOA: —Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Jan. 24 were: Grade 1, £ Stg.3o2/10/-, grade 2, £Stg.27s per ton, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE.—P.-N.G.: Jan. 24, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 40c per lb; B grade 38c; C grade 35c. c.i.f., Sydney.

Quote No. 2, AA grade 42-44 c per lb, f.0.b.; A 35-37 c; B 33-35 c; PB 32c; X 33-35 c; Native X 32-35 c, f.o.b.

Approximate overseas coffee prices were reported on Jan. 25 as: Uganda Robusta £ 5tg.237 per ton, Feb.-June, f.0.b., Mombasa; Mataari £Stg.43s, c. and f.; Sannani £Stg.4ls, c. and f.; Hodeida No. 1 £Stg.39s; Indonesian Robusta, API Special £ 5tg.262, API £ Stg.2so, AP2 £Stg.226, APIO £Stg.236 per ton, c. and f.

PEANUTS. —P.-N.G.: Sydney agents re ported Jan. 24, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels — white Spanish 15c lb.

RUBBER.—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rate, which on Jan. 20 was: Prompt shipment 58% Straits cents per lb, c.i.f. (17.04 c Aust.); Feb. shipment 59% Straits cents per lb (17.22 c Aust.); Apr. shipment 60y4 Straits cents per lb (17.44 c Aust.).

VANILLA BEANS,—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, reported on Jan. 24: 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 Jan 24 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 indicate the following quotations to Islands pr ducers: Jan. 24 Papua $l6O-$lBO n ton; N.G., $l5O-$l7O per ton, f.o: Islands ports.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Sydney buy* quoted: Jan. 24, No. 1, Ist grade, $4!: f.o.b. Islands ports, 2nd grade, non $240 on wharf, Sydney. No. 2, $440 (b*< quality), on wharf, Sydney.

Crocodile Skins. On Jan.

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and ov> first grade quality as follows: P.-N.G,i $2.90 per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, smc scale (salt water); large scale (fre water) $l.BO per in. 8.5.1. $2.90 (smt scale) del. Sydney.

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

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

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

London and US Quotations

COPRA: LONDON, Jan. 23, Philippine in bulk, SUSIB6 (equal to £Stg.6s/18 A l per long ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. ports. Malayan 1% c.i.f. UK/Nth. Eun pean ports, UQ. NEW YORK: Jan. !

Philippines, c.i.f., Pacific Coast port nom. SUSI6I. CEYLON: Spot, 1,045 Rupic per ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Ceylon, 1

in bulk, £Stg.lo7 per ton, c.i.f., UK/NT European ports.

Rubber: London, Jan. 20, Sri

18 Va d Stg. lb; Feb. shipment 17-11/E' Stg. lb; Apr. shipment 18 %d Stg. lb.