Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar equals $l.OO New Zealand; 9/7 Fiji; 98 Pacific francs New Caledonia and Tahiti; 9/3 sterling and $1.12 USA.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA: —All production is delivered to Copra Marketing Board, controlled by six members, including three planters’ representatives. The board directs distribution and sales, and makes pay ments to the producers. Production goes mainly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Aus tralia 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 purchase prices for copra de livered main ports in January were hot-air dried, $136 per ton; FMS $133 per ton; smoke-dried, $l3l 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 early January were: Grade one, £F88; grade two, £FB3/2/6 and grade three, £F7S/5/-. A scale of deductions has been established for copra delivered to grading centres other than Suva.

WESTERN SAMOA: —All production is sold to the Copra Board of Western Samoa at fixed prices. The Board makes payments to producers through its agents —the local firms —and sells the copra on the open market with a portion to Abels Ltd., NZ. Last prices in December were SWS96 for grade one, SWS9I for grade one sun dried, and SWSB3 for grade two.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga Copra Board which sends it to Europe and the open market. December prices to growers were $T123.50 first grade and $T111.50 second grade.

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 on Dec. 15 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 France and Venezuela. Official price on Dec. 13 was $lOO (10,000 Pac.

Francs). French price on Dec. 13 was 1,225 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 January, February and March, have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ168.95 first grade, hot air dried; $NZ166.87 first grade, sun dried, and $NZ165.30 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quote P 2- (4 in. to 7 in.) to F3/- (9 in. to 11 in.) lb for well processed commercial varieties.

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

On Dec. 19 they were £Stg.29o per ton, c.i.f., UK (Dec. to Mar. shipment).

On Dec. 22, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $570 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $525, and declining. Quote No. 2; Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $574, in store NG ports $544 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa.—Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Dec. 11, were; Grade 1, £Stg. 295; grade 2, £Stg.27s/10/- per ton, f.0.b., Apia.

COFFEE.—P-NG: Dec. 22, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 37c to 40c per lb; B grade 36c to 38c; C grade 35c to 36c; X grade 36c to 390 and native X grade 33.5 c to 34c.

Crocodile Skins. On Dec. 22

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., Honiara: $1.89 per in. Gizo: $2.10 per in.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—A Sydney buyer quoted: Dec. 22, No. 1, Ist grade, $5OO, f.o.b. Islands ports, 2nd grade, nom., $240 on wharf, Sydney. Honiara: 16c lb.

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

PEANUTS.—P.-N.G.; Sydney agents re ported Dec. 22, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 150 lb.

PEARL SHELL. A Sydney buyer, on Dec. 22, 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 blackllp 15c lb, goldllp 20c lb.

Cook Islands.—Penrhyn Island, SNZ7OO (approx.), f.0.b., Rarotonga.

RICE (Anst.): Prices, until Mar. 31, 1968, are—P.-N.G.; Dried brown rice, 112 1> 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-NG price is based on Singapore rates, which on Dec. 20 were: Prompt nominal shipment 49 7 / s Malayan cents per lb; January, M 50% cents per lb; February, M50 7 / s cents per lb (all about 14.50 Aust. cents per lb).

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.

TROCHUS.—A Sydney buyer indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers: Dec. 22 Papua $175-$lB5 per ton; N.G., 8.5.1.—5150-$l6O per ton f.o.b. Islands ports—direct shipment to overseas markets.

TURTLE SHELL.—BSI: first grade un marked 90c a lb at Glzo.

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

Prices on Dec. 15 were; white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $6.20, green label, $6.10, c.1.f., Sydney.

Uk, Us, Ceylon Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Dec. 22, Philippines, in bulk, SUS26I per long ton, c.i.f.

UK/Nth. European ports. US Pacific Coast, Philippines, SUS23O per short ton.

Coconut Oil: Lonon, Dec. 22

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.l6o per ton, c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber; London, Dec. 20, Spot

17%d Stg. lb; Jan. 17%d Stg. lb; March 18-l/16d Stg. lb.