Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in ustralian currency. Australian dollar equals 1.00 New Zealand; 98-99 cents Fiji; 110 rench Pacific francs; $1.24 Western Samoa; 1.00 Tonga, 46 new pence UK; $1.12 USA).

Copra

Copra industries are controlled through copra oards in NG, the Solomons, the GEIC, both amoas, Fiji, Tonga and the US Trust Territory, ew Hebrides, the Cooks, French Polynesia and ew Caledonia don't have boards and copra is Ither sold individually by growers to overseas uyers or used for local making of soap, etc.

The boards were born after World War II nd their functions, which vary among terri >ries, include orderly selling overseas, main lining stabilisation funds, raising government ivenue and developing copra on long-term ases.

NEW GUINEA: The board, with planters' »ps, directs distribution and sales and pays lanters. Shipments are made to UK, European larkets and to Australia and Japan, and coco ut oil mills on New Britain.

Latest prices, delivered main ports, were: ot-air dried, $llB per ton; FMS, $ll5 per on; smoke-dried, $ll3 per ton.

FIJI: —The board fixes prices on Philippines opra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling osts, shrinkage, etc. Prices recently were: st grade, SFI2B; 2nd grade, $F118; CAS, F 97.50.

WESTERN SAMOA: The board makes pay lents to producers through its agents—local irms—and sells the copra on the open market /ith a portion to Abels Ltd., NZ. Recent rices were SWSIIB for Ist grade, SWSIIB for st grade sun dried, and SWSIOS for 2nd rade.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the board /hich sends it to Europe and the open larket. Recent prices to growers were $T92.75 st grade, and $T80.75 2nd grade, per ton. ’er coconut, 1.5 c.

SOLOMON IS.:—All production through board t prices based on Philippines rates. Output loes to the UK, Japan, Australia and the rest o the open market. Recent prices were: Ist rade, $120; 2nd grade, $116; 3rd grade, 106 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina nd Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLICE—2£c per lb (Ist grade); c per lb (2nd grade).

NEW HEBRIDES: Copra sold direct by lanters to France and Japan. Official market rice on July 13 was $7O (7,000 Pac. francs).

Marseilles, 1,070 French francs, July 16.

COOK IS.: —Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of luckland, who operates NZ's copra crushing

mill. Prices for July 1 to Sept. 30 were fixed, subject to freight adjustment, at $NZ158.23 Ist grade, hot air dried; $NZ156.13 Ist grade, sun dried, and $NZ154.55 standard grade.

US TRUST TERRITORY:—Boaro pays suiii2.so 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.) lb 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 lb.

COCOA.—lslands rates are based on Ghana prices. Ghana price on July 21 (Oct./Dec. ship ment) was spot £5tg.243.50 ton, c.i.f., UK Con tinent.

July 22, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, export quality $4OO per ton, delivered ex wharf Sydney $460. Quote No. 2: Best quality ex-wharf Sydney $490 (July/Sept. shipment), $495 (Oct./Dec. shipment); in store NG ports $4lO (July/Sept.), $414 (Oct./Dec.).

W. Samoa. —No offerings for early shipment.

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

COFFEE: P-NG: July 22, good quality, A grade 38|c per lb; B grade 361 c; C grade 32c; X grade 36£c and native X grade 34£c (ex-store Sydney).

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

CROCODILE SKINS. Recent Sydney buyers quoted for 12 in. and over, Ist grade quality as follows: 8.5.1., Honiara —$1.80 to $2.20 per in.; Gizo: $2.10 per in.

Green Snail Shell.—S3So A Ton F.O.B.

(nominal).

PAPUAN GUM.—Graded gum $215 per ton, f.o.b.

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

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

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

PEARL SHELL.—Torres Strait Pearlshellers' Assn, has no recent quotes. Solomons. — Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 15c lb, gold lip 20c lb. Cook Islands.—Penrhyn, 20-25 c per lb, del. Rarotonga 33-35 c per lb. French Poly nesia.—Tuamotu, Gambier shells, to $l,OOO per ton, Papeete.

PYRETHRUM.—NG growers 17c lb, flowers.

RICE (Aust.): Prices till March 31, 1972, are —P-NG: Dried brown, 112 lb bags, $124 a ton, 40 lb bags, $134 a ton; vitamin enriched white, 56 lb bags, $137.50 a ton; all f.o.w.

Sydney/Melbourne. Pacific Islands: White pol ished, 56 lb bags, $156 a ton, f.o.w. Sydney/ Melbourne.

RUBBER.—PNG price is based on Singapore rates which on July 19 were: No. 1 RSS prompt shipment (Malayan cents a kilo) Aug. b 100.50; Sept, b 100.50.

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— BSIP 3c to 4c per lb.

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, July 20, Philippines, in bulk, SUSI9S Aug. reseller) per long ton, c.i.f., UK/North European ports; US Pacific coast, b

Susi7O, S Susi7S.

COCONUT OIL.—LONDON, unquoted since May 25.

RUBBER.—LONDON, July 19, No. 1 RSS Spot (per kilo), b 14.55 new pence (Aug. shipment).