Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar (November 20) equals New Zealand, $1.0020 (buying), 50.9980 (selling): Fiji, $1.0164, 0.9989; Western Samoa, $0.8132, $0.8019, US, $1.1934, $1.1886, UK, 50.8388 np, 50.5305 np; French Pacific, 110 FP francs; Tonga $1.05.

Copra

Copra industries are controlled through copra boards in PNG, 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 locally.

NEW GUINEA; The board, with planters' reps, directs distribution and sales and pays planters. Shipments are made to UK, European markets and to Australia and Japan, and coco nut oil mills on New Britain.

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

FIJI: —The board fixes prices on Philippines copra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc. Prices recently were: Ist grade, $78.75, 2nd grade, $68.75, CAS, $47.75.

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: Ist quality, $84.10; 2nd quality, $70.40.

TONGA: All copra is sold to the board which sends it to Europe and the open market. Recent prices to growers were Ts6o Ist grade, and Ts4B 2nd grade, per ton.

Per coconut 1.2 c.

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, $75; 2nd grade, $7l; 3rd grade, $6l per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

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

NEW HEBRIDES: Copra sold direct by planters to France and Japan. Official market price on October 3 was $3O. Marseilles 65 French francs (per 100 kilos) November 10.