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 December were hot air dried, $l5l per ton; FMS $l4B per ton; smoke-dried, $146 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 early Jan. were: Ist grade, £FS9/2/6; 2nd grade, £FS4/5/-; CAS, £F4S. 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 Dec. were SWSIO4 for grade one, SWSIO4 for grade one sun dried, and SWS9I for grade two.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the Tonga Copra Board which sends it to Europe and the open market. December 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 December were: Ist grade. $140; 2nd grade, $136; 3rd grade, $126 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara.

Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLICE ;—Productlon 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 in December was $B5 (8,500 Pac. Francs). French price was 1,000 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 January, February and March, have been fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ157.41 first grade, hot air dried; $NZ155.32 first grade, sun dried, and $NZ153.76 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

AMERICAN SAMOA; —Copra Board buys all copra, for export to the US; Dec. price was US6 V* cents per pound, dry.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quoted P 2- (4 in. to 7 in.) to F3/- (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 Dec. 23 was £ Stg.4Bo per ton, c.i.f., UK Spot.

On Dec. 24, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $BOO per ton, ex wharf Sydney, $B7O, and steady. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $930, in store NG ports $842 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa. Latest price quoted in Sydney on Dec. 11, was: Grade 1. £ Stg.44o; grade 2, £Stg.42o. f.o.b.

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

Solomons.—s cents a lb delivered to a fermentary, 4 cents a lb at buying points.

COFFEE.—P-NG: Dec. 23, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 38c to 41c per lb; B grade 36V 2 c to 40V 2 c; C grade 32*/ 2 c to 35c; X grade 36c to 39c and native X grade 34c to 35V 2 c (ex-store Sydney).

Crocodile Skins. On Dec. 24,

Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over first grade quality as follows: P.-N.G.— $2.90 per in., f.o.b. main ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $1.90 per in. 8.5.1., Honiara; $1.89 to $2.10 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in

Green Snail Shell. On Dec. 24

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 Dec. 24, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels— white Spanish 15c lb.

PEARL SHELL. Torres Strait Pearl shellers’ Assn, recently quoted these prices for MOP; A A 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. —$148 per ton (orders over 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.—sls6 per ton (orders over 2 tons), $l4B per ton (under 2 tons).

RUBBER, P-NG price is based on Singapore rates, which on Dec. 23 were- Prompt nominal shipment 57 Va Malayan cents per lb; Jan.. M57V 4 cents per lb and Feb., M 57 5 / 8 cents per lb (all about 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 F4/6 per lb for well-dried fins of commercial quality. ICEP Pty. Ltd 2*. Taylor St., North Curl Curl, Sydney’ ducers: Dec. 24 Papua $l7O-$lBO according to quality.

TROCHES.—A Sydney buyer indicated the following quotations to Islands pro ducers: Dec. 23 Papua $l7O-$lBO per ton Honiara $l4O-$145 per ton r.o.b. Islands ports—direct shipment to overseas markets.

TURTLE SHELL.—BSI: first grade un marked 60c to $1.50 a lb at Glzo.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers Prices on Dec. 24 were: white and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.90; green label $5.80, c.1.f., Sydney. Tonga.— $T14.20, f.0.b., Nukualofa: $4.50, Mel bourne.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, Dec. 20, Philippines, in bulk, SUS2O9 per long ton, c.i f UK/Nth. European ports; US Pacific coast, SUSIB7 per short ton.

Coconut Oil: London, Dec 20

Ceylon. 1% in bulk, £Stg.ls6 per ton! c.i.f. UK/Nth. European ports.

Rubber; London, Dec. 23 Spot

21-l/16d Stg. lb; Jan. 21V 8 d Stg. lb, Mar. -il-3/16d Stg. lb.