Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar (January 9) equals New Zealand, $1.0689 (buying), $1.0644 (selling): Fiji $1.0875, Western Samoa, $0.8754, $0.8623, US, $1.2774, $1.2726, UK, 50.8388 np, 50.5305 np, French Pacific, 119.60 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 lut oil mills on New Britain.

Latest prices, delivered main ports, were: lot-air dried, $ll3 per ton; FMS, $llO per on,- smoke-dried, $lOB per ton.

FIJI: The board fixes prices on Philippines opra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling osts, shrinkage, etc. Prices recently were: 583.25, 2nd grade, $73.25; CAS, WESTERN SAMOA: The board makes pay ments to producers through its agents—local irms—and sells the copra on the open market nth a portion to Abels Ltd., NZ. Recent rices: Ist quality, $84.10; 2nd quality, 70.40.

TONGA; All copra is sold to the board 'hich sends it to Europe and the open larket. Recent prices to growers were Ts6o st grade, and Ts4B 2nd grade, per ton tr coconut 1.2 c.

SOLOMON IS.:—All production through board r prices based on Philippines rates. Output 3es to the UK, Japan, Australia and the rest i the open market. Recent prices were- Ist ade, $7O, 2nd grade, $66; 3rd grade," $56 ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and si* G!LBERT AND per lb (Ist grade); : Per lb (2nd grade).

NEW HEBRIDES: Copra sold direct by anters to France and Japan. Official market ice on January 2 was $4O. Marseilles * French francs (per 100 kilos) December 29.

COOK IS.: —Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operate NZ's copra crushing mill. Prices for January to March, packed shipping weights f.o.b. were fixed at $NZ95.76 Ist grade, hot-air dried, $NZ93.79 Ist grade, sun-dried, and $NZ92.35 standard grade.

Us Trust Territory: 5U592.50 (Grade 1),

$U582.50 (grade 2), 5U572.50 (grade 3), de livered district centres; $BO (grade 1), $7O (grade 2), $6O (grade 3), picked up outer islands.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quote 45c (4 in. to 10 in.).

Honiara.—Live slugs, over six inches, black —six tor 10c, other colours—l2 for 10c.

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

COCOA.—lslands rates are based on Ghana prices. Ghana price on January 19 (January/ February shipment was spot £stg3o9.s ton, c.i.f.; UK, Continent.

January 12, Quote No. 1: In store Rapaul, ;xport quality, $5OO per ton, delivered ex wharf Sydney $570. Quote No. 2; Best quality in store NG ports, $515 (January/February shipment).

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

COFFEE.—PNG: January 19, good quality, A grade, 48c per lb; 8 grade, C grade, 41c, Y grade, 43c (ex-store Sydney).

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

CROCODILE SKINS. —Honiara: $1.89 to $2 25 per inch,

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. PNG: 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 l4c-16c lb, goldlip 18c lb. Cook Islands.—Penrhyn, 20-25 c per lb, del. Rarotonga 33-35 c per lb. French Polynesia.—Tuamotu, Gambier shells, to $1 000 per ton, Papeete.

PYRETHRUM.—NG growers 17c lb, flowers RICE (Aust.):—PNG: [Tried brown, 25 kilo bags, $113.50 per metric tonne. Vitamin enriched white, 25 kilo bags, $125.50 per metric tonne, all f.o.w. Sydney/Melbourne.

Pacific Islands; Calrose med. grain, white, 56 lb bags, SAI2B-SAI33 a long ton. Kulu long grain white, 56 lb bags, SAI64-SAI67 a long ton. All prices f.o.w. Sydney/Melbourne.

RUBBER.—PNG prices are based on Singapore rates which on December 20 were; No 1 RSS (Malayan cents a kilo f.0.b.), January, 111.00- 115.75; February, 112.50-117.25; March, 113.50-118.50.

SANDALWOOD.—New Hebrides, landed on the beach, Vila and Santo, no recent quotes.

SHARKS FINS. Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, offers 75c per lb for Ist quality, 45c for mixed quality.

TROCHUS.—BSIP 4c (uncleaned), 5c (cleaned) per lb.

TURTLE SHELL.—BSI: 20c to $1.20 per lb, depending on size and quality.

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

RUBBER.—London, No. 1 RSS spot (per kilo), September 5, prompt shipment, 15.86 p. (c. and f.).

COPRA.—LONDON, September 19, Philippines, in bulk, SUSI4I (October reseller) per long ton, c.i.f., UK/North European ports,- US Pacific coast, b SUSII3, s SUSIIS.

COCONUT OIL (Ceylon)—LONDON, September 19 £stg.9B (September/October).