Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar equals $l.OO New Zealand; 98-99 cents Fiji; 110 French Pacific francs; $1.24 Western Samoa; $l.OO Tong* 46 new pence UK; $l.ll USA.)

Copra

Copra industries are controlled through copra boards in NG, the Solomons, the GEIC, both Samoas, Fiji, Tonga and the US Trust Territory.

New Hebrides, the Cooks, French Polynesia and New Caledonia don't have boards and copra is either sold individually by growers to overseas buyers or used for local making of soap, etc.

The boards were born after World War II and their functions, which vary among terri tories, include orderly selling overseas, main taining stabilisation funds, raising government revenue and developing copra on long-term bases.

NEW GUINEA: The board, with planters' reps, directs distribution and sales and pays planters. Buyers include: Unilever, of the UK, Australia and Japan, and coconut oil and desiccated coconut mills (controlled by Car penters) on New Britain.

Recent prices, delivered main ports, were: hot-air dried, $l3B per ton; FMS, $135 per ton; smoke-dried, $133 per ton.

FIJI: —The board fixes prices on Philippines copra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc. Prices recently were: Ist grade, $F153.75; 2nd grade, $F143.75;

Cas, $F124.75

WESTERN SAMOA: The board makes pay ments to producers through its agents—local firms —and sells the copra on the open market with a portion to Abels Ltd., NZ. Recent prices were SWSIIB for Ist grade, SWSIIB for Ist grade sun dried, and SWSIOS for 2nd grade.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the board which sends it to Europe and the open market. Recent prices to growers were $T115.50 Ist grade, and $1103.50 2nd grade, per ton.

Per coconut, 2c.

SOLOMON IS.: —All production through board at prices based on Philippines rates. Output goes to the UK, Japan, Australia and the rest

to the open market. Recent prices were: Ist grade, $130; 2nd grade, $126; 3rd grade, $ll6 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLICE: —Board pays growers $78.40 per ton and receives $143.05 per ton overseas; 2nd grade price 3£c per lb.

NEW HEBRIDES: Copra sold direct by planters to France and Japan. Official market price on Feb, 15 was $BO (8000 Pac. francs).

Marseilles, 1,147 francs, Feb. 10.

COOK IS.: —Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operates NZ's copra crushing mill. Prices for January 1 to March 31 were fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ174.18 Ist grade, hot air dried; $NZ172.09 Ist grade, sun dried, and $NZ170.53 standard grade.

US TRUST TERRITORY:—Board pays $U5112.50 per ton, grade 1; $lOO per ton, outer islands.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quote F3sc (4 in, to 7 in.) to F4oc (9 in. to 11 in.) Ib depending on quality.

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

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

COCOA. —Islands rates are based on Ghana prices. Ghana price on Feb. 22 (Mar./Apr. shipment) was stg. 231/3 per cwt., c.i.f., UK Continent Spot.

Feb. 22, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $3BO per ton, delivered ex wharf Sydney $440. Quote No. 2: Best quality ex-wharf Sydney $470, in store NG ports $4lO (for immediate UK, Continent and USA ship ments).

Forward prices: May/July, $415 (in store, NG ports).

W. Samoa. —Nominal quotation for Feb. 20 was Ist grade, £Stg.2ss; 2nd grade, £Stg.23s, f.o.b. per ton.

Solomons. —4 cents a Ib delivered to a fermentary, 3 cents a Ib at buying points.

COFFEE.—P-NG r Feb. 22, good quality A grade 44c per Ib; B grade 42c; C grade 40c; X grade 42£c and native X grade 41c (ex store Sydney).

W. Samoa.—Recently, WSTEC ground and dried beans, 49 sene per Ib (wholesale).

CROCODILE SKINS. Recent Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, Ist grade quality as follows: 8.5.1., Honiara—sl.Bo to $2.20 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in.

Green Snail Shell. $350-$4Oo A Ton,

f.o.b.

PAPUAN GUM.— Graded gum $215 per ton, f.0.b., NG ports.

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

PAPAW. —Cook Islands, Island Foods Ltd. pays growers NZ2c per Ib for good fruit.

PEANUTS. P-NG; Sydney agents reported recently f.0.b., Lae; Kernels —white Spanish 17.25 c Ib.

PEARL SHELL.— Torres Strait Pearlshellers' Assn, has no recent quotes because of the current off-season. Solomons. —Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 15c Ib, goldlip 20c Ib. Cook Islands. —Penrhyn, 20-25 c per Ib, del. Raro tonga 33-35 c per Ib. French Polynesia.

—Tuamotu, Gambler shells, to $l,OOO per ton, Papeete.

PYRETHRUM. —NG growers 17c lb, flowers.

RICE (Aust.): Prices, until Mar. 31, 1971, are —P-NG: Dried brown rice, $132 per ton, f.o.w. Sydney. Vitamin-enriched white rice, $146.50 per ton. Other Pacific Islands: Polisheo white (56 lb bags) or dried brown rice (112 lb bags), $156 per ton, f.o.w.

RUBBER.—P-NG price is based on Singapore rates which on Feb. 22 were: No. RSS prompt shipment (Malayan cents a kilo) b 102 c; Mar. b 101.50 C; Apr. b 104 c.

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

SHARK FINS; Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers 55c per lb for well-dried fins of commercial quality.

TROCHUS. —Honiara—3c to 4c per lb—NG —slso-$ 160 per ton.

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

VANILLA BEANS. Prices recently were: White and yellow label processed standard packs, $7.50; green label $7.40, c.i.f., Sydney.

Tonga.—sT4.2o, f.0.b., Nukualofa; $T4.50, Mel bourne.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA.— LONDON, Feb. 17, Philippines, in bulk, SUS2I7£ per long ton, c.i.f., UK/North European ports; US Pacific coast, b SUSIBS,

S Susi9S.

Coconut Oil.—London, Feb. 17, £Stg.L7L.

RUBBER.— LONDON, Feb. 22, No. 1 RSS Spot (per kilo), b 15.6 new pence; Mar. 5, 15.1 np; May, b 16.3 np.