Samoan Produce

Extraordinary Quotation for Cocoa

From Our Own Correspondent.

Tapia, Dec. 3.

THE serious situation which confronts Samoan producers, caused by the fall in copra and cocoa prices, has become intensified since last writing.

The copra price has reached a new low record, with under £8 per ton in London.

The copra buyers have stopped buying in all outside districts, apart from the west coast of Upolu, where 11/- per ton are paid to natives (1/8 cent per lb). Savaii and South and East Upolu trading stations, of which about 25 per cent, have been closed recently, are kept on with traders acting only as caretakers at a nominal remuneration.

The European cocoa planter is in a bad position, trying to struggle on against mounting difficulties. Most of the plan tations have sent half to three-quarters of their labour staffs away; many coolies are on half wage, or temporarily working for their food. Still the outlook is des perate; if the buyers persist in offering prices of £12/5/- per ton for first-grade cocoa. News has reached Apia that in America some lots of Samoan cocoa have realised 8½ and 9½ cents per lb; that in Germany a good demand exists for Samoan cocoa, a price of £60 per ton (English currency) being mentioned. Tfiis latter report, however, is unconfirmed.

The cocoa buyers cannot be blamed if they want to retrieve former losses on cocoa. On the other hand, it is very risky for the merchant to bring the producer to the verge of ruin as the merchant stands to lose everything by such a policy. In their courageous struggle for existence, the planters still hope for a turn of the wheel of fortune.

Large parcels of cocoa have been shipped lately to San Francisco and New York by the “Waihemo” (81 tons).

The only “silver lining” in the black clouds on the economic heaven seems to be bananas, for which in January 5/- per case is offered. By the last “Waihemo” 10 bunches of bananas were despatched to Vancouver for experimental purposes, to find out how bananas would carry from Apia to Vancouver.

Negotiations pending with the Union S.S. Co. and aiming to make Apia a port of call for the Royal Mail Steamers on the run Auckland-Fiji-Honolulu-Vancou ver, are followed with keen interest by the producers of Samoa.

Under present circumstances it seems to be of paramount importance to secure new outlets for the ever-increasing banana industry of Samoa.

EDITORIAL NOTE.—It is difficult to under stand how the merchants arrive at this quo tation of £12/5/- per ton for cocoa beans, to which our correspondent again refers. The Syd ney quotation has never gone below £25 to £30 per ton (Australian currency).