Produce Prices

Unless otherwise stated, quotations are Australian currency. Australian dollar uals $l.OO New Zealand; 9/7 Fiji; 98 •ench Pacific francs: $1.23 Western imoa; $l.OO Tonga; 9/3 sterling and

.12 Usa.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA;—AII production delivered to Copra Marketing Board, ntrolled by six members, including three anters’ representatives. The board directs stribution and sales, and makes pay ents to the producers. Production goes ainly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Aus alia for local consumption, (c) crushing -111 in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus available). Prices generally tally with ling rate in Philippines with premiums r hot-air dried.

P-NG purchase prices for copra de ered main ports in April were hot r dried, $156 per ton; FMS $153 per a; smoke-dried, $l5l per ton.

FIJI: —The Fiji Coconut Industry Board ces the prices to be paid for Fiji pra on a formula based on that for lilippines copra, and taking into account sight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, :. The copra must be graded at centres Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and iveuni. Prices in Suva to May 19 :re: Ist grade, £F96/2/6; 2nd grade, F9l/5/-; CAS, £FBO/10/-. A scale of ductions has been established for copra livered to grading centres other than va.

WESTERN SAMOA: —All 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 April were SWSI22 r grade one, SWSII7 for grade one n dried, and SWSIO9 for grade two.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga pra Board which sends it to Europe d the open market. April prices to iwers were $T136.80 first grade and 112.80 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 Apr. 11 were: Ist grade, $140; 2nd grade, $136; 3rd grade, $126 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 Apr. 11 was $llO (11,000 Pac. Francs). French price was 1,240 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 Apr. 18 they were £Stg.27o per ton. c.i.f., UK (Apr.-June), On Apr. 23. Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $490 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $555. and steady. Quote No- 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $550, in store NG ports $484 (for UK Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa.—Latest prices quoted in Sydney, on Apr. 23, were; Grade 1, £ Stg 287/10/-; grade 2, £Stg.26o per ton, f.0.b., Apia (May-June shipments).

COFFEE, P-NG: Apr. 23, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 37c to 40c per lb; B grade 37c to 38V 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 Apr. 23

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over first grade quality as follows: P.-N G— 53.00 per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh £ a on r l s £°,° per in - Honiara: $1.89 to $2.10 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL.—A Sydney buyer quoted; Apr. 23. No. 1, Ist grade, $5OO, fob. 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 posed Apr. 23. 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 56 lb bags, $153 per ton, f.o.w. Brown Melbourne. Vitamin enriched white rice’

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 Apr. 19 were: Prompt nominal shipment 50 Malayan cents per lb; May, M49V 2 cents per lb and June M 48 7 /s cents per lb (all about 14y 2 Aust. cents per lb).

SHARK FINS; Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers F4/6 per lb for well-dried flnt 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: Apr. 23 Papua $175-$lB5 per ton; N.G., 8.5.1.-$l5O-$l6O per ton, fo 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 <k Co., Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers.

Prices on Apr. 20 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.30. green label, $5.20, c.1.f., Sydney.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Apr. 19, Philippines, in bulk, SUS 277 per long ton, c.i.f.

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

Coconut Oil: London, Apr. 19

Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.l73 per ton.’ c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber: London, Apr. 19, Spot

™ Stg. lb; May 17 %d Stg. lb; July i/vaci otg. Id.