Produce
p. 84 · Read in the full issue
Prices
Unless otherwise shown, quotations are in Australian dollars. Australian dollar (November 2) equalled; New Zealand, $1.1379 (buying), $1.1321 (selling); Papua New Guinea, K 0.8766 (buying), K 0.8700 (selling); Fiji, $1.0154 (buying), $.9914 (selling); Western Samoa, tala 0.8712 (buying), tala 0.8540 (selling); Tonga, pa'anga 1.0160 (buying), pa'anga 0.9710 (selling); UK, £stgo.6lsl (buying), £stgo.6oBl (selling); French Pacific, CFP 99.99 (buying), CFP 98.51 (selling).
Copra
Copra industries are controlled through copra boards in PNG, the Solomons, the Gilberts, both Samoas, Fiji, Tonga, the Cooks and the US Trust Territory New Hebrides, French Polynesia and New Caledonia do not have boards and copra is either sold individually by growers to overseas buyers or used locally PNG 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 coconut oil mills in New Britain Latest prices less Kl 7 levy were: Per tonne, delivered main ports, hot air dried, KlB2, FMS, K 179, smoke dried. K 177.
FIJI — The board fixes prices on Philippines copra, taking into account freight, taxes, selling costs, shrinkage, etc Latest prices to producers were Fiji 1, $193.25. Fiji 2, $lB3 25, CAS $BO NEW HEBRIDES Copra sold direct by planters to France and Japan, Burns Philp paying on wharf No recent prices available US TRUST TERRITORY Palau Ist grade $lBO, 2nd grade. $l7O. 3rd grade. $l6O, at district centre, outer islands $155. $145 and $135 for the three grades Yap $l6O, $l5O and $l4O respectively at district centre, outer islands. $135, $125 and $ll5 respectively. Truk, Ponape, Kusaie and Northern Marianas: $l5O, $l4O and $l3O respectively at district centre, outer islands, $125, $ll5 and $lO5 Marshalls $lBO at district centre. $155 outer islands.
COOK ISLANDS All production is sold to Abels Ltd, Auckland Prices are based on average world prices for the prior three or six months and remain in force for three months.
SOLOMON ISLANDS Copra Board pays per lb at Honiara, Yandina and Gizo, 9c Ist grade. 87,’C 2nd grade, 7c 3rd grade
Gilbert Islands 67 C Per Lb
WESTERN SAMOA Ist grade, T 199.50, 2nd grade TlB7 10 fob TONGA All copra sold to EEC. A Grade STI 75, B Grade STI63 NIUE Standard, $lBO a tonne gross.
Other Produce
COCOA Island rates are based on Ghana price. Ghana price on October 31 was £stg2 373 ton, cif, UK Continent.
October 31, fob Rabaul, export quality. K 3 100 per tonne, delivered ex-wharf Sydney, $3 950 per tonne Solomons— Delivered Honiara prices recently were $1 30 per lb Ist grade, 90c 2nd grade Western Samoa T 2 470 80 per ton fob CHILLIES Solomons, Honiara buyers pay for dry tabasco, Ist grade 40c per lb, 2nd grade, 20c per lb Long Red is 20c per lb COFFEE— PNG November 2, cif Sydney Good quality, per kg: A Grade $4.35: B Grade $4 31; C Grade $4 27, Y Grade $4 25
PEANUTS — PNG. Sydney agents reported recently fob Lae, kernels, white Spanish, 19c per lb.
BROOMCORN — Fiji 1 st grade 17.5 c per lb; 2nd grade, 15.5 c per lb; 3rd grade. 5c per lb RICE (Aust): — PNG: Dried brown, 25 kilo bags. $298.94 per tonne. Vitamin enriched white. 25 kilo bags, $303 94 per tonne, all tow Sydney/Melbourne Pacific Islands: Calrose med grain, white. 25 kilo bags, $320 per tonne Kula long grain white. 25 kilo bags. $335 per tonne All prices cif Sydney/Melbourne RUBBER London. October 31. 52.50c-53.75c per kg VANILLA BEANS Prices recently were White and yellow label processing standard packs, $7 50. green label $7 40 cif Sydney Tonga To growers ST7 per lb TROCHUS Solomons: Co-op and private buyers pay 21c per lb for good quality BLACK LIP Solomons: Co-op and private buyers pay 26c per lb for good quality GOLD LIP; Solomons: Co-op and private buyers pay 38c per lb BECHE-DE-MER Solomons; Co-op and private buyers pay: Ist grade $2 20 per lb: 2nd grade $1 80 per lb: 3rd grade. $1.30 per lb.
GREEN SNAIL Solomons: Co-op and private buyers pay 50c per lb.
TORTOISE SHELL:— Solomons: Co-op and private buyers pay max of $5.20 per lb. depending on quality SHARK FINS: — Gilbert Is Co-op Federation pays per lb, $3 00 Ist grade, $1 50 2nd grade, $1 25 3rd grade. Solomons: Co-op and private buyers pay $2 50 per lb.
COCONUT OIL; PNG: London, London ruling price £stg4Bs ton cif N. Europe ports MEAL CAKE: — PNG, London, London ruling price £5tg104.77 tonne cif E. Europe ports
Exchange Rates
FIJI: — November 2. Through Bank of NSW, ANZ Bank, Bank of NZ. Bank of Baroda, First National City Bank, Aust $ on Fiji, buying SFI =$Al COOK IS., MJUE; — NZ currency is used NEW HEBRIDES:— November 2, Through Banque Nationale de Paris (Sydney), Indosuez Bank, ANZ Bank, Bank of NSW. National Bank of Aust, Commercial Banking Co of Sydney, Commercial Bank of Aust, Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp.
Barclays Bank International. SAI = FNH 88 14 (buying), FNH 87 09 (selling).
WESTERN SAMOA;— November 2. Through Bank of Western Samoa, controlled from NZ, T 1 -
Sai 1 7
TONGA: — November 2, PI SAI 03
Norfolk Is, Tuvalu, Gl, Nauru:—
Australian currency is used, no exchange payable on transactions with Australia.
SOLOMON ISLANDS;— A local currency established October 24 Exchange rates not yet fixed PAPUA NEW GUINEA: — November 2. Through PNG Banking Corp, Bank of NSW ANZ Bank, Bank of South Pacific, K 1 = $A 115 FRENCH PACIFIC:— Pacific francs (CFP) are used in New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna Is, and French Polynesia French Bank, Sydney. November 2, quoted $A - CFP 99 33 (buying), CFP 98 16 (selling) November 2. Paris-London, £1 = 8 8600 francs (buying), 8 8300 francs (selling) CFP-London, £1 = CFP 161 4545 (buying), CFP 161 2727 (selling). CFP to 1 met franc 18 43 (buying). 1 7 94 (selling) Banks should be approached (or daily rates.