Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are n Australian currency. Australian dollar equals $l.OO New Zealand; 9/7 Fiji; 98 French Pacific francs; $1.23 Western Samoa; $l.OO Tonga; 9/3 sterling and

11.12 Usa.)

Copra

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

P-NG purchase prices for copra de- Ivered main ports in March were hot ir dried, $156 per ton; FMS $153 per on; smoke-dried, $l5l per ton.

FIJI:—The Fiji Coconut Industry Board ixes the prices to be paid for Fiji opra on a formula based on that for •hilippines copra, and taking into account reight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, tc. The copra must be graded at centres n Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and ’aveuni. Prices in Suva to April 21 fere: Ist grade, £F92/12/6; 2nd grade, EFB7/15/-; CAS, £F77/17/6. A scale of eductions has been established for copra elivered to grading centres other than uva.

WESTERN SAMOA: —All production is old to the Copra Board of Western lamoa at fixed prices. The Board makes ayments to producers through its agents -the local firms—and sells the copra on he open market with a portion to Abels td. NZ. Prices in March were SWSI22 or grade one, SWSII7 for grade one un dried, and SWSIO9 for grade two.

TONGA; All copra is sold to the Tonga bpra Board which sends it to Europe nd the open market. March prices to rowers were STIS3 first grade and STI2I ;cond grade.

SOLOMON IS.: All production marketed irough official BSI Copra Board, at rices based on Philippines rate. Output oes to Unilever, UK; to Australian

crushers; and the balance on to the open market. Prices on Mar. 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 Mar. 16 was $lOB (10,800 Pac. Francs). French price was 1,292 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 April, May and June, have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ218.28 first grade, hot air dried; $NZ216.19 first grade, sun dried, and $NZ214.63 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

Other Produce

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

Honiara.—Live slugs, over six inches, black —six for 10c, other colours—l2 for 10c.

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

On Mar. 21 they were £ Stg.2Bo per ton, c.i.f., UK (June-Aug.).

On Mar. 26, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $490 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $555, and declining. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney. $550, in store NG ports $478 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. —Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Mar. 13, were: Grade 1, £Stg.29o; grade 2, £Stg.26o per ton, f.0.b., Apia (Feb.-Mar. shipments).

COFFEE. P-NG: Mar. 26, Quote No. 1. good quality A grade 37c to 40c per lb; B grade 37c to 38Vic; 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 Mar. 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: Mar. 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.

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

PEARL SHELL. Torres Strait Pearl shellers’ Assn, recently quoted these prices for MOP: AA grade, $1,250 per ton; A $1,450; B, $1,800; C, $1,900; D, $1,220;

E, $Boo And Ee, $6Oo.

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, 1969, are—P.-N.G.: Dried brown rice, 112 lb bags, $136 per ton, f.o.w. Sydney or Melbourne. Vitamin enriched white rice, 56 lb bags, $153 per ton, f.o.w. Brown,

40 lb bags $146 per ton. Other Pacific Islands: Polished white (56 lb bags) or dried brown rice (112 lb bags), $l6l per ton, f.o.w.

RUBBER. P-NG price is based on Singapore rates, which on March 22 were; Prompt nominal shipment 49% Malayan cents per lb; April, M 49 7 /s cents per lb and May 49% cents, per lb (all about 14y 2 Aust. cents per lb).

SHARK FINS: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers P4/6 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: Mar. 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 Mar. 26 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.30, green label, $5.20, c.i.f., Sydney.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Mar. 22, Philippines, in bulk, SUS2BO per long ton, c.i.f.

UK/Nth. European ports. US Pacific Coast, Philippines, SUS24O per short ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Mar. 22,

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

Rubber: London, Mar. 22, Spot

17V 4 d Stg. lb; Apr. 17%d Stg. lb; June 17%d Stg. lb.