Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in stralian currency. Australian dollar (September ) equals New Zealand, $1.0020 (buying), .9980 (selling); Fiji, $0.9708, $0.9880; jstern Samoa, $O.BO, $O.Bl, US, $1.1934, .1886; UK, 48.8 np, 48.5 np; French Pacific, 6.36 FP francs, 104.78 FP francs; Tonga .05.

Copra

Copra industries are controlled through copra ards in PNG, the Solomons, the GEIC, both moas, Fiji, Tonga and the US Trust Territory, w Hebrides, the Cooks, French Polynesia and w Caledonia don't have boards and copra is her sold individually by growers to overseas yers or used locally.

NEW GUINEA: The board, with planters' )s, directs distribution and sales and pays inters. Shipments are made to UK, European irkets and to Australia and Japan, and coco t oil mills on New Britain.

Latest prices, delivered main ports, were: f-air dried, $lOB per ton; FMS, $lO5 per i; smoke-dried, $lO3 per ton.

FIJI: —The board fixes prices on Philippines >ra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling its, shrinkage, etc. Prices recently were: 570.25, 2nd grade, $60.25, CAS, WESTERN SAMOA: The board makes pay nts to producers through its agents—local tis —and sells the copra on the open market h a portion to Abels Ltd., NZ. Recent ces: Ist quality, $84.10; 2nd quality, ).40. fONGA; -All copra is sold to the board ich sends it to Europe and the open rket. Recent prices to growers were Ts6o grade, and Ts4B 2nd grade, per ton. coconut 1.2 c.

SOLOMON IS.: —All production through board prices based on Philippines rates. Output 15 to the UK, Japan, Australia and the rest the open market. Recent prices were: Ist de, $75; 2nd grade, $7l; 3rd grade, $6l ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and o).

GILBERT AND ELLICE —2£c per lb (Ist grade); per lb (2nd grade). <EW HEBRIDES: Copra sold direct by nters to France and Japan. Official market :e on September 15 was $2B. Marseilles 75 French francs (per 100 kilos) September