Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar equals $l.OO New Zealand; 98-99 cents 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 planter's repre sentatives. The board directs distribution and sales, and makes payments to the producers.

Production goes mainly to (a) Unilever, in UK, (b) Australia for local consumption, (c) crushing-mill in Rabaul, and (d) Japan (surplus as available).

P-NG prices for copra delivered main ports in May were hot-air dried, $126 per ton; FMS $123 per ton; smoke-dried, $l2l per ton.

FIJI: —Fiji's Coconut Industry Board fixes prices to be paid for copra on a formula based on Philippines copra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc.

Copra must be graded at centres in Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu and Taveum. Prices until May 25, were: Ist grade, $F123.75; 2nd grade, $F113.75; CAS, $F94.25. 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 pro ducers through its agents —local firms—and sells the copra on the open market with a portion of Abels Ltd., NZ. Recent prices were SWSIO4 for Ist grade, SWSIO4 for Ist grade sun dried, and SWS9I for 2nd grade.

TONGA:—AII copra is sold to the Tonga Copra Board which sends it to Europe and the open market. May prices to growers were $T90.25 st grade and $T78.25 2nd grade.

SOLOMON IS.:—All production marketed through official Copra Board at prices based on Philippines rates. Output goes to Unilever, UK; to Australian crushers; and the rest to the open market. Prices in May were: Ist grade, $130; 2nd grade, $126; 3rd grade, $ll6 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLlCE:—Production marketed in Europe and Australia through official Copra Board, at prices based on Philippines rates

less freight, etc. The board subsidises the price at $67.20 per ton for Ist grade.

NEW HEBRIDES:—Copra sold direct by planters to France and Japan. Official market price in May was $7O (7,000 Pac. francs).

French price was 892£ francs per metric ton, c.i.f. Marseilles.

COOK IS.:—Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operates NZ's copra crushing mill. Price paid is average London price for previous three months, less handling charges.

Prices for Apr., May and June were fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ164.96 Ist grade, hot air dried; $NZ162.87 Ist grade, sun dried, and SNZ 161.31 standard grade, all per ton packed f.o.b.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quoted F2oc (4 in. to 7 in.) to F3oc (9 in. to 11 in.) Ib for "Sucuwalu" and "Loaloa" varieties.

Honiara. —Live slugs, over six inches, black six for 10c, other colours —12 for 10c.

CHILLIES. —Solomons, Honiara, Tabasco, grade one, dried 22c per Ib, wet, 6c per Ib; long red, grade one, dried, 12c per Ib, long red, wet, 3c per Ib.

COCOA: —Islands rates are based on Ghana prices. Ghana price on May 22 was £Stg.4l9 per ton, c.i.f., UK Spot.

On May 22, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $750 per ton, ex-wharf Sydney, $BOO, and steady. Quote No. 2: Best quality, ex-wharf Sydney, $758, in store NG ports $835 (for UK, Continent and USA shipments).

W. Samoa.—Latest price quoted in Sydney on May 7, was Ist grade, £Stg.3Bo; 2nd grade, £Stg.36s, f.0.b., Apr./June ships.

New Hebrides.—beach, Vila, Santo, $3OO per ton.

Solomons. —5 cents a Ib delivered to a fermentary, 4 cents a Ib at buying points.

COFFEE.—P-NG: May 22, Quote No. 1, good quality A grade 36c to 39c per Ib; B grade 33c to C grade 30£ to 33c; X grade 33c to 36c and native X grade 31c to 33c (ex-store Sydney).

CROCODILE SKINS. On May 22, Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, Ist grade quality as follows: P-NG —$3.05 per in., f.o.b. main ports, small scale (salt water); large scale (fresh water) $2.10 per in. 8.5.1., Honiara: $l.BO to $2.20 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL. On May 22 Aus tralian buyers report very little demand from Japan, Europe and the US. Prices not quoted: Honiara: 16c Ib.

PAPUAN GUM: Graded gum $lB5 per ton, f.0.b., Samarai, ungraded gum $174, f.0.b., NG.

PASSIONFRUIT. —Cook Islands, Islands Foods Ltd. pays growers NZ2.5c per lb for good fruit.

PEANUTS.—P-NG: Sydney agents reported May 22, f.0.b., Lae; Kernels—white Spanish 15c Ib.

PEARL SHELL.—Torres Strait Pearlshellers' 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 black lip 15c lb, goldlip 20c Ib.

Cook Islands. —Penrhyn Island, SNZ7OO a ton (approx.), f.0.b., Rarotonga, PYRETHRUM. —NG growers, 17c Ib, flowers.

RICE (Aust.): Prices, until Oct. 31, 1969, are—P-NG; Dried brown rice, 112 Ib bags, $137.50 per ton, f.o.w. Sydney. Vitamin enriched white rice, 56 Ib bags, $152.50 per ton. Other Pacific Islands; Polished white (56 Ib bags) or dried brown rice (112 Ib bags), $l6l per ton, f.o.w.

Solomons.—sls6 per ton (orders under 2 tons), $l4B per ton (over 2 tons), f.o.b.

Honiara.

RUBBER. —P-NG price is based on Singapore rates, which on May 23 were: Prompt nominal shipment 68£ Malayan cents per lb; June, M6B|c cents per lb and July, M6Bic cents per lb (all about 24 Aust. cents per lb).

SANDALWOOD. —New Hebrides, landed on the beach, Vila and Santo, $250 a ton.

SHARK FINS: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers F4sc per lb for well-dried fins 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 prices: May 22 —Papua—$140-$l5O per ton—Honiara—sl4o-$145 per ton, f.o.b.

Islands ports —direct shipment overseas —NG— $l25-$!3O per ton.

TURTLE SHELL.—BSI: First grade unmarked 60c to $1.50 a ib at Gizo.

VANILLA BEANS.—Victor Karp Tulk & Co., Sydney, buy mainly from Tahiti for Sydney and Melbourne essence makers. Prices on May 22 were: White and yellow label processed, standard packs, $5.50; green label $5.30, c.i.f., Sydney. Tonga.—sT4.2o, f.0.b., Nukua lofa; $T4.50, Melbourne.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA: LONDON, May 22, Philippines, in bulk, SUSIBO per long ton, c.i.f. UK/Nth.

European ports; US Pacific coast SUSI 64 per short ton.

COCONUT OIL; LONDON, May 22, Ceylon, 1% in bulk, £Stg.l4B per ton, c.i.f. UK/Nth.

European ports.

RUBBER: LONDON, May 23, Spot 24£d Stg.

Ib; June 23-15/16d Stg. Ib; Aug. 24-3/16d Stg. Ib.