Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are Australian currency, Aust. $ equals iproximately 8/- Stg., NZ, or W. Samoa: - Fiji 1 Pa’anga Tonga; 5.381 Ceylon ipees; 98 Pac. Frs.; 5U51.125.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA:—AII production delivered to Copra Marketing Board, ntrolled by six members, including three inters’ representatives. The board directs stribution and sales, and makes pay :nts to the producers. Production goes linly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Aus ilia for local consumption, (c) crushing -11 in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus available). Prices generally tally with ling rate in Philippines with premiums • hot-air dried.

P-NG Board’s purchase prices for copra ivered main ports from March 1 were t-air dried, $l2O per ton; FMS, $ll7 : ton; smoke-dried, $ll5 per ton. ?UI: —The Fiji Coconut Industry Board es the prices to be paid for Fiji )ra on a formula based on that for ilippines copra, and taking into account ight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, . The copra must be graded at centres Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and yeuni. Prices in Suva to July 23 were: ade one, £FS9/2/6; grade two, '’s4/2/6 and grade three, £P46/5/-. A le of deductions has been established copra delivered to grading centres er than Suva.

VESTERN SAMOA:—AII production is i to the Copra Board of Western noa at fixed prices. The Board makes r ments to producers through its agents he local firms—and sells the copra on open market with a portion to Abels NZ. Local prices in June were £S4B grade one and £S4I/10/- for grade 'ONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga ira Board which sends it to Europe, ler arrangement with Unilever, con led by Philippines prices, and the rest s on to the open market.

SOLOMON IS.: All production marketed througn 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 on June 19 were: Ist grade, $120; 2nd grade, $116; 3rd grade, $lO6 per ton, 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:—Copra sold direct by planters to Prance and South America.

Official price on May 30 was $6B (6,800 Pac. Francs). French price in May was 890 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 July, August and September, have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at £NZS9 first grade, hot air dried; £NZSB/0/5 first grade, sun dried and £NZS7/5/9 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

Other Produce

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.

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

On June 23 these were approx. £ 5tg.227/10/- per ton, c.i.f., London.

On June 26, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $450 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $5OO. Quote No, 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $490, in store NG ports $443 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. —Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on June 26 were: Grade 1, £ 5tg.267/10/-, grade 2, £ 5tg.242/10/- per ton, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE.—P.-N.G.; June 22, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 37c to 42c per lb: B grade 37c to 40c: C grade 35c to 37c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 33.5 c to 35.5 c.

Crocodile Skins. On June 26

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, first grade quality as follows: V -N052.90 $2.90 per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, small scale (salt water): large scale ffresh water) $l.BO per in. 8.5.1., Honiara: $1.89 per in. Gizo; $2.10 per in.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—Sydnev buven quoted: June 27, No. 1, Ist grade, $5OO, f.o.b. Islands ports, 2nd grade, nom. $240 on wharf, Sydney.

PAPUAN GUM: New Guinea graded gum $lB5 per ton, f.0.b., Samarai, un graded gum $174, f.0.b., NG.

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.: Sydney agents re ported June 26, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

PEARL SHELL.—Fished by Japanese and Australian interests around Cape York and Broome, North Australia, for mainly cultured shell production. Shells were scarce in May. Two Sydney buyers, on June 27, quoted these prices: Sound $1,650 per ton, D grade $l,lBO, E grade, $650, EE $470 (in store Sydney).

Solomons.—Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 15c lb, goldlip 20c lb.

Cook Islands.—Penrhyn Island, £NZ3SO (approx.), f.0.b., Rarotonga.

RICE (Aust.); Prices, until Mar. 31, 1968, are—P.-N.G.: Dried brown rice, 112 lb bags, $l2B per ton, f.o.w. Sydney or

Melbourne. Vitamin enriched white rice, 56 lb bags, $142 per ton, f.o.w. Brown, 40 lb bags $l3B per ton. Other Pacific Islands: Polished white (56 lb bags) or dried brown rice (112 lb bags), $l5O per ton, f.o.w.

RUBBER.—P.-N.G. price is based on Singapore rates, which on June 23 were: Prompt shipment 58 Malayan cents per lb, c.i.f. (16.82 c Aust.); July shipment 57Vi Malayan cents per lb (16.60 c Aust.); Aug. shipment 57 5 /s Malayan cents per lb (16.64 c Aust.).

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

TROCHUS.—Sydney buyers indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers; June 27 Papua $l6O-$lBO per ton; N.G., 8.5.1.—5150-$l6O per ton, f.o.b. Islands ports.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co.. Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers.

Prices on June 27 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $6.55 green label, $6.45, c.1.f., Sydney.

London and US Quotations

COPRA; LONDON, June 23, Philippines, in bulk, SUSI 96 per long ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports. Malayan 1% c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports, UQ. US Pacific Coast, Philippines, $U5172.50 per short ton. CEYLON: Spot, 1,010 Rupees per long ton.

Coconut Oil: London, June 23

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.ll4 per ton, c.i.f., UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, June 23, Spot

buyer 20V 2 d Stg. lb; July 17V 4 d: Sept’. 18-9/16d.