Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar (February 20) equals New Zealand, $1.0689 (buying), $1.0644 (selling): Fiji $1.1692, Western Samoa, unavailable; US, $1.4191, $1.4143, UK, 58.4624 np, 58.0551 np; French Pacific, 121.03 FP francs; Tonga unavailable.

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, $127 per ton; FMS, $124 per ton; smoke-dried, $122 per ton.

FIJI:—The board fixes prices on Philippines copra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc. Prices recently were: Ist grade, $97.25, 2nd grade, $87.25, CAS, $67.25.

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 T 571.05 Ist grade, and T 559.05 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, $7O, 2nd grade, $66; 3rd grade, $56 per ton, BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

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

NEW HEBRIDES; Copra sold direct by planters to France and Japan. Official market price on February 1 was $45. Marseilles 105 French francs (per 100 kilos) February 16.

COOK IS.;—Copra goes to AOeis, 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; $U592.50 (Grade 1),

5U582.50 (grade 2), $U572.50 (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 for 10c, other colours —12 for 10c.

CHILLIES.—SoIomons, 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 February 21 (Feb/April shipment) was spot £stg3l9.oo ton, c.i.f.; UK, Continent.

February 21, Quote No. 1: In store Rabaul, jxport quality, $5OO per ton, delivered ex wharf Sydney $560. Quote No. 2: Best quality in store NG ports, $490 (March shipment).

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

COFFEE. -PNG; February 20, good quality, A grade, 48c per lb; B grade, C grade, 41c, Y grade, 44c (ex-store Sydney).

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

CROCODILE SKlNS.—Honiara: $1.89 to $2.25 per inch.

Green Snail Shell.—S7Oo 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 r lb.

PEARL SHELL. —Torres Strait Pearlshellers' Assn, has no recent quotes. Solomons.— Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 14c-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 $l,OOO per ton, Papeete.

PYRETHRUM.—NG growers 17c lb, flowers.

RICE (Aust.):—PNG; Dried 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. AH prices f.o.w. Sydney/Melbourne.

RUBBER. —PNG prices are based on Singapore rates which on Feb. 8 were: No. 1 RSS (Malayan cents a kilo f.0.b.), February, 127.00- 119.75; March, 127.75-120.75; April, 128.25- 121.50.

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 oacks, $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. 14, Philippines, in bulk, SUS 242 per long ton, c.i.f.