Samoan Planters
p. 31 · Read in the full issue
Prices at Low Level
From Our Own Correspondent.
Apia, Nov. 25.
THE only silver lining in the black clouds hanging over Samoa is the increase in the banana price from 3/- to 4/- per case, which came into force for the November “Maui Pomare.” A fur ther rise under the new banana contract for 1934 to 5/- per case, is announced for the January, 1934, boat.
The cocoa auction in London, at which 3000 bags of Samoan cocoa were offered for sale, to test the market, brought prices ranging from £32 to £43 per ton, which should net the planters about £30 to £35 on the beach. So far, however, the Apia firms have not raised the cocoa price to anything like this figure, and at time of writing the rate of £12/5/- per ton is still mentioned, at which figure it is impos sible to pick and cure cocoa. The fate of many planters still hangs in the balance.
The copra price, which in outside dis tricts had been dropped to 1-8 cent, per lb. (11/3 per ton), was raised again to ½ cent (22/3 per ton), owing to the Admin istration taking 10/- off the copra export duty of 30/- per ton.