New Guinea Cocoa-Beans

Possibilities of Developing a Profitable Industry

THE “Pacific Islands Monthly” recently associated itself with a movement, now afoot in Sydney, to develop a mar ket in Australia for cocoa-beans grown in New Guinea.

The consumption of cocoa-beans in Australia is large and growing (6000 tons per annum) and is sufficient to absorb all the beans grown in the South Sea Islands.

The principal sources from which Aus tralia imports cocoa-beans at present are West Africa, West Indies, and, to a limited extent, Western Samoa.

For some time, under the double stimu lus of a collapsed copra market and an Australian bounty of £10 per ton, New Guinea planters have been producing cocoa-beans and sending them to Sydney for marketing; and the quantity thus produced is increasing. The Australian agents to whom the New Guinea beans have been sent have been meeting with serious difficulties, however.

There was first of all an indifference towards the New Guinea product, amount ing in some cases to absolute hostility,

manifested by most of the confectionery manufacturers in Sydney and Melbourne.

It was not a question of quality—these big firms, having fixed contracts and re gular sources of supply, did not wish to be bothered with small consignments from the Islands.

Another difficulty was the deplorably bad condition of the New Guinea pro duct. Generally speaking, the New Guinea producers appear to know little about the proper preparation of the cocoa-bean for marketing. The washing and cleaning of the beans are badly car ried out, and they are bagged with a large proportion of pith still adhering.

The Australian buyers promptly deduct a certain proportion of the weight, to make up for this pith. Furthermore, the appearance of the beans is not attrac tive; and the fermentation that has been carried out is, in most cases, most defec tive.

In spite of these manifest disabilities, cocoa-beans from New Guinea have been bringing up to £26 per ton in Sydney; and, with the Commonwealth bounty of £10 per ton, the N.G. planters have found this product profitable. It should be noted, however, that good quality cocoa beans from Samoa are worth over £30 per ton (sterling), while the best quality beans (the Arriba variety from Ecuador) are worth £50 per ton sterling.

The Sydney price quoted for N.G. beans is by no means to be depended on— buyers have been bitterly disappointed with the quality. It is clear from every point of view that the New Guinea Ad ministration must do something to im prove the quality of the beans—not only to obtain a market, but also to obtain the very profitable price that is available.

The editor of the “Pacific Islands Monthly” wrote personally to a number of confectionery-manufacturing firms in Australia and asked them what was their attitude towards New Guinea cocoa-beans, and he particularly mentioned the report that certain firms would not consider the N.G. product under any condition, and suggested that if that attitude were maintained, it was inevitable that the Commonwealth Government, in order to assist the New Guinea planters, would place a duty upon cocoa-beans imported from other countries. All the confec tionery manufacturers replied promptly and courteously, and the following are some extracts from their letters: Messrs. MacRobertson Pty. Ltd., Melbourne: “Occasionally we have been offered parcels of New Guinea beans in the ordinary course of business, and at times have bought small parcels for test ing purposes, but found they were dis appointing in quality and grading. In fact, we went to some trouble to make suggestions for the better presentation of supplies, and submitted samples as to grading. As only limited parcels could be offered, we lacked interest in them, as we cannot be continually changing our blend. We have certain standards which must be maintained from year to year, therefore the necessity for adequate sup plies of any variety of cocoa-bean we use.

We have always given the authorities every assistance possible, but, judging from sample submitted, little notice ap peared to have been taken of our sug gestions. While quality, grading, and

price are main factors in our considera tion, the governing factor is that of con tinuous adequate supplies.”

Messrs. Griffiths Sweets Pty. Ltd., Mel bourne: In a lengthy and helpful letter this firm denies that it is hostile to Pacific Islands cocoa-beans, and says it has pur chased large quantities of same, and at that moment it had on hand substantial stocks of Samoan beans. New Guinea planters do not give sufficient attention to fermentation and no two shipments of N.G. beans are alike. There was a fatal absence of standardization in fer mentation, which is most important. Far too many small parcels of New Guinea beans are offered which are badly under fermented, in some cases, and over-fer mented in others. This was the trouble with Samoan beans 10 years ago, but it has been overcome. Another difficulty is continuity of supplies—“we would rather have the New Guinea product offered in 5 to 10 ton parcels of a standard fermentation, than have 6 to 10 bags dribbled through at a time, which is the present method of marketing.” This firm adds that the storage of New Guinea beans in some cases has left the bean open to dampness, causing mouldiness, which is fatal. Again, in the fermenta tion process, some N.G. beans showed an excess of pith adhering to the outside skins, proving inefficient fermentation.

This latter in turn produces what is known as a “cheesy” flavour in chocolate, and is most objectionable. This firm con cludes by saying that it is always pre pared to examine sympathetically samples of New Guinea beans, and to give advice to those who are seeking to promote the industry, and is also prepared to pur chase any New Guinea beans which are equal to the Samoan product.

Other firms communicated with have not been quite so helpful—although they strongly resent the suggestion that they are hostile to the New Guinea cocoa in dustry.

The investigations made by the “Pacific Islands Monthly” appear to indicate very clearly that there is a large and profitable market for New Guinea cocoa-beans in Australia; but it is essential that the Australian manufacturers be given, first, a reasonable guarantee of good quality and, secondly, a reasonable assurance of continuity of supplies.