Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are i Australian currency. Australian dollar luals $l.OO New Zealand; 9/7 Fiji; 98 rench Pacific francs; $1,23 Western amoa; $l.OO Tonga; 9/3 sterling and

1.12 Usa.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA:—AII production delivered to Copra Marketing Board, mtrolled by six members, including three anters’ representatives. The board directs stribution and sales, and makes pay ents to the producers. Production goes alnly to (a) Unilever, In UK, (b) Aus alia for local consumption, (c) crushing ill in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus i available). Prices generally tally with iling rate in Philippines with premiums r hot-air dried.

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

FIJI: —The Fiji Coconut Industry Board ices the prices to be paid for Fiji pra on a formula based on that for lilippines copra, and taking into account eight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, c. The copra must be graded at centres Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and iveuni. Prices in Suva to March 24 *re: Ist grade, £F9O/17/9; 2nd grade, FB6; CAS, £F76/2/6. A scale of ductions has been established for copra livered to grading centres other than iva.

WESTERN SAMOA:—AII production is Id to the Copra Board of Western .moa at fixed prices. The Board makes .yments to producers through its agents the local firms—and sells the copra on e open market with a portion to Abels d. NZ. Prices in February were 75116.50 for grade one, SWSIII.SO for ade one sun dried, and $W5103.50 for ade two.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga ipra Board which sends it to Europe d the open market. February nrices growers were STIS3 first grade and 121 second grade.

SOLOMON IS.: All production marketed rough official BSI Copra Board, at ices based on Philippines rate. Output es to Unilever, UK; to Australian

crushers: and the balance on to the open market. Prices on Feb. 26 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 Feb. 16 was $lOO (10,000 Pac. Francs). French price was 1.250 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.

Honiara.—Live slugs, over six inches, black —six for 10c, other colours —12 for 10c.

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

On Feb. 22 they were £Stg.2Bs per ton. c.i.f., UK (Mar.-May).

On Feb. 26, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $465 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $515, and declining. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $5BO, in store NG ports $5OO (for UK.

Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa.—Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Feb. 21, were: Grade 1, £ 5tg.292/10/-; grade 2, £ 5tg.265 per ton, f.0.b., Apia (Feb.-Mar. shipments).

COFFEE. P-NG: Feb. 26, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 37c to 40c per lb; B grade 37c to 38y 2 c; C grade 35c to 36c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 33.5 c to 34c (ex-store Sydney).

Crocodile Skins. On Feb. 26

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: Feb. 26, 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.

PE4NUTS.—p -N.G.; Sydney aeents re ported Feb. 26, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

PEARL SHELL. A Sydney buyer, on Feb. 26, quoted these prices: Sound $A1,550-1,650 per ton, D grade $A1,075-

1,125, E Grade Saboo-825, Ee Sas7O-600

(f.o.b. Thurs. Island).

Solomons.—Honiara, mother of pearl blackllp 15c lb. goldllp 20c lb.

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

RICE (Anst.): 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-NG price is based on Singapore rates, which on Feb. 23 were: Prompt nominal shipment 45 7 / 8 Malayan cents per lb; March, M 46 l / 2 cents per lb; and April, M 47 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: Feb. 26 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 60c to $1.50 a lb at Gizo.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co.. Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers Prices on Feb. 26 were; white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.80, green label, $5.70, c.i.f., Sydney.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Feb. 26, Philippines, in bulk, SUS 267 per long ton, c.i.f.

UK/Nth. European ports. US Pacific Coast, Philippines, SUS 237 per short ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Feb. 26,

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.l6B per ton. c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, Feb. 23. Spot

16y 4 d Stg. lb; Feb. 16d Stg. lb; May 16-13/16d Stg. lb.