Produce Prices

Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar equals $l.OO New Zealand; 9/7 Fiji; 98 French Pacific francs; 80 cents Western Samoa: $l.OO Tonga; 9/3 sterling and

$1.12 Usa.)

Copra

PAPUA-NEW GUINEA:—AII production is delivered to Copra Marketing Board, controlled by six members, including three planters’ representatives. The board directs distribution and sales, and makes pay ments to the producers. Production goes mainly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Aus tralia for local consumption, (c) crushing mill in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus as available). Prices generally tally with ruling rates in Philippines.

P-NG purchase prices for copra de livered main ports in September were hot air dried. $163 per ton; FMS $l6O per ton; smoke-dried, $l5B per ton.

FIJI:—The Fiji Coconut Industry Board fixes the prices to be paid for Fiji copra on a formula based on that for Philippines copra, and taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc. The copra must be graded at centres in Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and Taveuni. Prices in Suva until “further notice” were: Ist grade, £F62/5/-; 2nd grade, £FS7/5/-; CAS. £F47. A scale of deductions has been established for copra delivered to grading centres other than Suva.

WESTERN SAMOA:—AII production is sold to the Copra Board of Western Samoa at fixed prices. The Board makes payments to producers through its agents —the local firms —and sells the copra on the open market with a portion of Abels Ltd., NZ. Prices in Sept, were SWSI27 for grade one, SWSI27 for grade one sun dried, and SWSII4 for grade two.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga Copra Board which sends it to Europe and the open market. September prices to growers were $T98.50 first grade and $T86.50 second grade.

SOLOMON IS.: All production marketed through official BSI Copra Board, at prices based on Philippines rate. Output goes to Unilever, UK; to Australian crushers; and the balance on to the open market. Prices in September 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 Japan. Official market price on Aug. 30 was $B2 (8,200 Pac. Francs). French price was 970 francs per metric ton, c.i.f., Marseilles.

COOK IS.:—Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operates the only NZ copra crushing mill. Price paid is average London price for previous three months, less handling charges. Prices for October, November and December, have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ184.06 first grade, hot air dried; SNZIBI.9B first grade, sun dried, and $NZ180.42 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

AMERICAN SAMOA;—Copra Board buys all copra, for export to the US; Sept, price was US6V4 cents per pound, dry.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co Suva, quoted P 2- (4 in. to 7 in.) to P3/- (9 in. to 11 in.) lb for “Sucuwalu” and “Loaloa” varieties.

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

COCOA: —Islands rates are based on Ghana prices. Ghana price on Sept. 20 was £ Stg.36o per ton, c.i.f., UK Spot.

On Sept. 20, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $625 per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $690, and steady. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $695, in store NG ports $625 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. Latest price quoted in Sydney, on Sept. 21, was: Grade 1, £ 5tg.325; grade 2, £Stg.3os.

New Hebrides. beach, Vila, Santo, $250 per ton.

Solomons. —4 cents a lb delivered to a fermentary. 3Vz cents a lb at buying points.

COFFEE.—P-NG: Sept. 23, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 39c to 42V 2 c per lb; B grade 37y 2 to 4iy 2 c; C grade 35c to 37c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 34c to 35 J / 2 c (ex-store Sydney).

Crocodile Skins. On Sept. 23,

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, first grade quality as follows: P.-N.G.— $2.80 per in., f.o.b. main ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $l.BO per in. 8.5.1., Honiara: $1.89 to $2.10 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in.

Green Snail Shell. —On Sept. 23

Australian buyers reported very little demand from Japan, Europe and the US.

Prices were not quoted. 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 Sept. 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, $A1,250 per ton; A $1,450; B, $1,800; C. $1,900; D, $1,220; E, $B4O and EE, $6OO f.o.b. Thurs. Is.

Solomons. Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 15c lb, goldlip 20c lb.

Cook Islands.—Penrhyn Island, SNZ7OO a ton (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.

Solomons.—sl6o per ton (orders over 2 tons), $l6B per ton (under 2 tons), f.o.b. Honiara.

RUBBER. P-NG price is based or Singapore rates, which on Sept. 19 were Prompt nominal shipment 55 V 4 Malayar cents per lb; Oct., M 55% cents per 11 and Nov., M 55% cents per lb (all aboul 18 Aust. cents per lb).

SANDALWOOD.—New Hebrides, landed on the beach, Vila and Santo, $3OO a ton SHARK FINS: Chang Sing Loong Co.

Suva, offers P4/6 per lb for well-dried flni of commercial quality. ICEP Pty. Ltd 22 Taylor St., North Curl Curl, Sydney quote 65c to 85c lb., ex-store Sydney' according to quality.

TROCHES.—A Sydney buyer Indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers: Sept. 23 Papua $175-$lB5 per ton Honiara 4 cents per lb fob. 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 Price on Sept. 23 were; white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.90, green label, $5.80, c.i.f., Sydney. Tonga.— $T4.20, f.0.b., Nukualofa.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Sept. 20, Philippines, in bulk, SUS2OO per long ton, c.i.f.

UK/Nth. European ports; US Pacific coast, $U5167.50 per short ton.

Coconut Oil; London, Sept. 20,

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

Rubber: London, Sept. 19, Spot

19 7 /sd Stg. lb, Oct. 19%d Stg. lb. Dec. 19-15/16d lb.