Produce Prices

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

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA:—AII production ! delivered to Copra Marketing Board, ontrolled by six members, including three lanters’ representatives. The board directs istribution and sales, and makes pay lents to the producers. Production goes lainly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Aus ralia for local consumption, (c) crushing till in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus s available). Prices generally tally with iling rate in Philippines with premiums >r hot-air dried.

P-NG purchase prices for copra de vered main ports in February were hot ir dried, $136 per ton; FMS $133 per »n; smoke-dried, $l3l per ton.

FIJI: —The Fiji Coconut Industry Board xes the prices to be paid for Fiji >pra on a formula based on that for hilippines copra, and taking into account eight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, ;c. The copra must be graded at centres i Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and aveuni. Prices in Suva to February 25 ere; Ist grade, £F9I/5/-; 2nd grade, FB6/5/-; CAS, £F76/10/-. A scale of sductions has been established for copra slivered to grading centres other than iva.

WESTERN SAMOA:—AII production Is ild to the Copra Board of Western imoa at fixed prices. The Board makes lyments to producers through its agents -the local firms—and sells the copra on le open market with a portion to Abels ;d., NZ. Prices from December 21 were V 5116.50 for grade one, SWSIII.SO for ade one sun dried, and $W5103.50 for ade two.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga )pra Board which sends it to Europe id the open market. January prices growers were STIS3 first grade and 'l2l second grade.

SOLOMON IS.: All production marketed rough 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 Jan. 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 market. Price on Jan. 15 was $lOO (1,000 Pac. Francs). French price was 1,200 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 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 Jan. 24 they were £ 5tg.297/10/- per ton, c.i.f., UK (Spot price).

On Dec. 25, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $525 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $570, and declining. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $556, in store NG ports $533 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa.—Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Jan. 10, were: Grade 1 £Stg.29s; grade 2, £Stg.26s per ton] f.0.b., Apia (Jan. to Mar. shipment).

COFFEE. P-NG: Jan. 22, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 38c to 40c per lb; B grade 37c to SSVSsc; C grade 35c to 36c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 33.5 c to 34c.

Crocodile Skins. On Jan. 22

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, first grade quality as follows: P.-N.G.— $3.00 per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $2.00 per in. 8.5.1., Honiara: $1.89 per in. Gizo; $2.10 per in.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—A Sydney buyer quoted: Jan. 24, 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., Samarai, un graded gum $174, f.0.b., NG.

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

PEARL SHELL. A Sydney buyer, on Jan. 24, 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, SNZ7OO (approx.), f.0.b., Rarotonga.

RICE (Aust.): Prices, until Mar. 31, 1968, are—P.-N.G,: Dried brown rice, 112 P 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 Jan. 25 were: Prompt nominal shipment 44 5 / a Malayan cents per lb; February, M 46 cents per lb; and March, M 46 3 /4 cents per lb (all about 14 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; Jan. 24 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 Gizo.

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

Prices on Jan. 25 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.80 green label, $5.75, c.i.f., Sydney.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Jan. 15, Philippines, in bulk, SUS26S per long ton, c.i.f.

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

Coconut Oil; London, Jan. 15,

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.l64 per ton, c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, Jan. 25, Spot

leVad Stg. lb; Feb. 16d Stg. lb,- Apr 16 5 /sd Stg. lb.