Produce Prices

(Unless otherwise stated, quotations are in Australian currency. Australian dollar (December 12) equals New Zealand, $1.0384 (buying), 51.0341 (selling); Fiji $1.2148 (buying).

Western Samoa. T 0.9093 (buying); US, $1.4900, $1.4850; UK, 64.1231 np, 63.6334 np; French Pacific 123.59 (buying), 121.83 (selling) FP francs; Tonga unavailable.

Copra

Copra industries are controlled through copra boards in PNG, the Solomons, the GEIC, both Samoas, Fiji, Tonga, the Cooks and the US Trust Territory. New Hebrides, 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 per metric tonne, delivered main ports, were: hot-air dried, $200; FMS, $197; smoke-dried, $195.

FIJI: —The board fixes prices on Philippines copra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc. Prices recently were: Ist grade, $285.50; 2nd grade, $275.50; sub standard (ss), $BO.

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 per ton fob: Ist quality, $158.60; 2nd quality, $144.80.

TONGA; All copra is sold to the board which sends it to Europe and the open market. Recent prices to growers were T 5195.10 Ist grade, and T 5183.10 2nd grade, per ton.

Per coconut 3 seniti.

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: hot air-dried, $200; smoke-dried, $lB6 per ton at BSIP ports (Honiara, Yandina and Gizo).

GILBERT AND ELLICE—3c per lb (Ist grade); 2c per lb (2nd grade).

NEW HEBRIDES: Copra sold direct by planters to France and Japan. Official market price on December 5 was $l5O. Marseilles 230 French francs (per 100 kilos) November 30.

COOK IS.: —Copra goes to Abels, Ltd., of Auckland, who operate NZ's copra crushing mill. Prices for October-December, packed shipping weights f.o.b. were fixed at $NZ251.22 Ist grade, hot-air dried, $NZ249.37 Ist grade, sun-dried, and $NZ247.99 standard grade.

NiuE: —All copra is sold to the Niue Develop ment Board which sends it to Abels Ltd., of Auckland. Prices for July to December 1973 f.o b per ton were $NZ153.91, Ist grade, hot air-dried; $NZ152.03, Ist grade, sun-dried; and $NZ150.64, standard grade.

US TRUST TERRITORY: Price per short ton SUS 182.50 (grade 1), SUS 172.50 (grade 2), SUS 162.50 (grade 3), delivered district centres; $170.00 (grade 1), $160.00 (grade 2), $150.00 (grade 3), picked up outer islands.

Other Produce

BECHE-DE-MER: Chang Sing Loong Co., Suva, quote 60c Fijian per lb. (4 in. to 10 m.).

Honiara.— Best price paid is $1 per lb dried, for Ist grade; 70 cents per lb for 2nd grade.

CHILLIES.— SoIomons, Honiara, long red dried 12 cents per lb.. Tabasco 22 cents per lb. first eye' (under 2 in.) sun-dried, FAQ Grade Raba Raba, up to 30 cents per lb (Eastern Papua). Other grades are Long and U/FAQ 15-19 cents per lb.

COCOA.— Islands rates are based on Ghanati prices. Ghana price on December 12 was spotc £stg 564 ton, c.i.f.; UK, Continent.

December 12. In store Rabaul, export quality,: $750 per ton delivered ex wharf $B5O.

Solomons. —Delivered to Agriculture Dept.l offices in Honiara and Auki 25 cents per Ib.c dried beans first grade, 20 cents second grades COFFEE.—PNG; Good quality, A grade, 470’ per lb; B grade, 44c, C grade, 42c, Y grade,s 43c (ex-store Sydney).

W. Samoa.—Recently, WSTEC ground ano dried beans, 60 sene per lb wholesale.

CROCODILE SKlNS.—Honiara: $1.89 to $2.2“ per inch.

GREEN SNAIL SHELL—I 3-14 cents per lb.

PAPUAN GUM DUMAR.—Steamships Trading Co Ltd, Samarai, quotes SA2OO per long ton FOB Samarai.

PEANUTS. PNG: Sydney agents reporteo recently f.0.b., Lae; Kernels —white Spanish 19c lb.

PEARL SHELL.—Torres Strait Pearlshellerss Assn, has no recent quotes. Solomons. — Honiara, mother of pearl blacklip 15c Ibc Cook Islands. —Penrhyn, 20-25 c per lb. dell Rarotonga 33-35 c per lb. French Polynesia.— Tuamotu, Gambier shells, to $l,OOO per tonr Papeete. Fiji.—3sc per lb.

PYRETHRUM.—NG growers 17c lb, flowers.

RICE (Aust.):—PNG: Dried brown, 25 kild bags, $128.00 per metric tonne. Vitamh enriched white, 25 kilo bags, $141.50 pei metric tonne, all f.o.w. Sydney/Melbourne) Pacific Islands: Calrose med. grain, white, 5* lb bags, $l7O a metric tonne. Kulu lomi grain white, 56 lb bags, $lB5 a metric tonne All prices f.o.w. Sydney/Melbourne.

RUBBER.—PNG prices are based on Singapore rates which on December 12 were: No. 1 RSi (Malayan cents a kilo f.0.b.), January, 209.0 C 190.25; February, 209.50-191.00; March 210.00-191.50.

SANDALWOOD.—New Hebrides, landed on thi beach, Vila and Santo, $lBO per ton "oi consignment".

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

TROCHUS.—BSIP 7-10 cents per lb. Fiji 8cents per lb.

TURTLE SHELL.—BSI: No market at present VANILLA BEANS. Prices recently were White and yellow label processed standan packs, $7.50; green label $7 40, c.i.f., Sydne Tonga.—sT4.2o, f.0.b., Nukualofa; $T4.50, Mei bourne.

Uk, Us Quotes

COPRA. —LONDON, November 23, Philippine in bulk, $U5451.87 per long ton, c.i.f.