Produce Prices

Inless otherwise stated, quotations are Australian currency. Australian dollar als $l.OO New Zealand; 9/7 Fiji; 98 nch Pacific francs: $1.23 Western noa; $l.OO Tonga; 9/3 sterling and

L 2 Usa.)

Copra

APUA-NEW GUINEA:—AII production delivered to Copra Marketing Board, trolled by six members, including three iters’ representatives. The board directs ribution and sales, and makes pay its to the producers. Production goes nly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Aus ia for local consumption, (c) crushing in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus available). Prices generally tally with ig rate in Philippines. ■NG purchase prices for copra de •ed main ports in May were hot dried, $156 per ton; FMS $153 per smoke-dried, $l5l per ton. fJl: —The Fiji Coconut Industry Board s the prices to be paid for Fiji a on a formula based on that for ippines copra, and taking into account ;ht, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, The copra must be graded at centres Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and suni. Prices in Suva to June 16 : Ist grade, £F97/10/-; 2nd grade, 2/10/-; CAS, £FBI/15/-. A scale of ctions is set up for copra delivered rading centres except Suva.

EJSTERN SAMOA;—AII production is to the Copra Board of Western ja at fixed prices. The Board makes lents to producers through its agents j local firms—and sells the copra on open market with a portion to Abels NZ. Prices in May were SWSI22 grade one, SWSII7 for grade one dried, and SWSIO9 for grade two. ►NGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga a Board which sends it to Europe the open market. May prices to ;rs were $T136.80 first grade and 1.80 second grade.

LOMON IS.: All production marketed igh official BSI Copra Board, at s based on Philippines rate. Output to Unilever, UK; to Australian ers; and the balance on to the open et. Prices on May 17 were: Ist . $140; 2nd grade, $136; 3rd grade

$126 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLICE —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 May 8 was $ll4 (11,000 Pac. Francs). French price was 1,337 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 P3/- (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 May 22 they were £Stg.2B2/10/- per ton, c.i.f., UK (Apr.-June).

On May 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, $545, in store NG ports $482 (for UK Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. Latest price quoted in SWSS2S ° n May 23, WaS: Grade * ew H ® brides - beach, Vila, Santo, $250 per ton.

COFFEE.—P-NG: May 23, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 38c to 42y 2 c L er *?S : . v grade 2 7c t 0 41c: c grade 35c 2 7c * * grade 36c t 0 39c and native X grade 33/fee to 34y 2 c (ex-store Sydney).

Crocodile Skins. —On May 23

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over grade Quality as follows: P.-N.G $2.80 Per in., f.o.b. P-NG ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh M & B ,° n per , in - Honiara: $1.89 to $2.10 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in.

AiSSSJI. S k AIL SHELL —m late May bu r rs re P° rted very little demand from Japan, Europe and the US Prices were not quoted. Honiara: 16c lb. »riim AP GIJ M: New Guinea graded gum $lB5 per ton, f.0.b., Samarai, un graded gum $174, f.0.b., NG.

PEANUTS.— P.-N.G.: Sydney as:ents re

v,23 ’ fo b - Kerneiii

white Spanish 15c lb. . PE ARL SHELL. Torres Strait Pearl ,™Ass?i recen «y quoted these prices S AA grade, $1,250 per ton; A $1,450; B, $1,800; C, $1 900‘ D $1 220’

E, $BOO and EE, $6OO. ’ ’ s ’ °’

Solomons. Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 15c lb, goldlip 20c lb. P Cook Islands.—Penrhyn Island, SNZ7OO

(approx.), f.0.b., Rarotonga.

, ® ICE (Aust.): Prices, until Mar. 31, ih 96 h a t^ re Ti^c N * G ' : Dried brown rice, 112 L* $l3^,Fo er ton> f -°- w - Sydney or b b gs ’ $153 per ton > f-o.w. Brown Meibourne. Vitamin enriched white rice u o i a i^c ba S , s i per ton - ° ther Pacific £SI2 d l Pollsl ?ed white (56 lb bags) or dried brown rice (112 lb bags). $l6l per ton. r.o.w.

2 S ton?J on ti7« sl6o p f ton (omen over Lo b Hinfara P " ( “ nder 2 tons) ’ si^ BBEE ‘ r P ' NG price ls based on Singapore rates, which on May 21 were nominal shipment 51V, Matayan and July' M4iav Une ’ . M 51 ‘ /a cents P er lb f? d A,,oi y ’ M ® l/8 cents per lb (all about 15 Aust. cents per lb) nn 8^^ 1 '! 000 - 1 New' Hebrides, landed on the beach, Vila and Santo, $3OO a ton.

SHARK FINS: Chang Sing Loong Co Suva, offers F4/6 per lb for well-dried fin* So commercial quality. ICEP Pty Ltd 3 ay l? r ® t - Nor th Curl Curl, Sydney quote 65c to 85c lb., ex-store Svdnev according to quality. t>yaney i-hJ R fnn HUS ‘ — A Sydne y buyer indicated Hn J.- Quotations to Islands pro

per° e ton -VoniaTa cTntf S/T

'» I £a S rke?r tS <llree * sblpment •»’ flrst un marked 60c to $1.50 a lb at Gizo. VA N!LLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for

Irlcefon^.v^ 0 "™ makers'

lahff 8 May J 24 were: white and yellow abel processed, standard packs $5 30 green label, $5.20, Sydney W ’

Uk, Us Quotes

*n ° bufk A: W N pe“ ay .on 7 g Coast, Philippines, $DS247i| per short

Coconut Oil: London, May 17

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iByid /1 lt d g st ib. Ib: Spot 18d sts - lb: Ap s-