Produce Prices

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

51.12 Usa.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA:—AII production s delivered to Copra Marketing Board, iontrolled by six members, including three danters’ 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 aill in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus ,s available). Prices generally tally with uling rates in Philippines.

P-NG purchase prices for copra de vered main ports in August were hot ir dried, $163 per ton; FMS $l6O per an; smoke-dried, $l5B 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 i Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and ‘aveuni. Prices in Suva until “further otice” were: Ist grade, £FS9/2/6; 2nd rade, £FS4/5/-; CAS, £F44. A scale f deductions has been established for Dpra delivered to grading centres other lan Suva.

WESTERN SAMOA:—AII production is aid to the Copra Board of Western amoa at fixed prices. The Board makes ayments to producers through its agents -the local firms—and sells the copra on ae open market with a portion of Abels td. NZ. Prices in July were SWSI27 )r grade one, SWSI27 for grade one in dried, and SWSII4 for grade two.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga opra Board which sends It to Europe id the open market. July prices to •owers were STBS first grade and ST73 fcond grade.

SOLOMON IS.: All production marketed irough official BSI Copra Board, at •ices based on Philippines rate. Output >es to Unilever, UK; to Australian ushers; and the balance on to the open arket. Prices on July 22 were: Ist ade, $140; 2nd grade, $136; 3rd grade,