Kapok-Growing In

Papua

Planters Want Channel To The Market

IF the Commonwealth Government is sincere in its policy of encouraging new settlement and new production m the Territories of Papua and New Guinea, it should examine the position in relation to the cultivation of kapok in Papua.

A number of planters in Papua have been encouraged to produce kapok, and the Commonwealth Government pays them a bounty of 2d. per lb. But more than that will have to be done if this industry is to be established. ~T hei ’ e definitely is a world demand for this product, at a profitable price; but the trouble is the absence of an organ ised market. There appears to be only one firm in Australia which regularly buys kapok, and this firm usually offers 4id. per lb., with the indication that you can take it or leave it”. The un fortunate planter, having no other chan nel open, has to take it.

The experience of one planter in Pa pua is typical. He started with 18 acres, from which he did well so long as the local market in Papua could absorb his product. He was so pleased that he laid down another 100 acres and started to ex port kapok. He sent one consignment to Sydney, and discovered that kapok is handled there by only one firm, who of fered him the usual 4£d. per lb. He knew that the true market rate was in the vicinity of 7d. per lb., so he decided to fight. He searched around, and finally he was able to sell his kapok to a firm of furniture manufacturers in Brisbane for 9d. per lb. But he could not get any further orders on a firm basis, so he has turned most of his kapok plantation over to other things.

Under present conditions, there are only two alternatives for the Papuan planter—to sell to the “take it or leave it” firm in Sydney at 4id. per lb., or to incur expense and uncertainty in trv ing to find a regular channel to the world market.

If the Commonwealth Government in tends seriously to assist and encourage primary industries in Papua and New Guinea, it should form some sort of or ganisation which will enable the plant ers to find a direct track from their plantations to world markets, where they can get the best available prices for their product. No planter worthy of the name will allow himself to be consist ently victimised by the “take it or leave it” type of merchant.

Mr. D. Jones, of the Samoa Public Works Department, has returned to New Zealand after completing his term of service at Apia.

Sister Butler, who is in charge of the hospital at Avarua, Rarotonga, is now spending her leave in New Zealand, the land of her birth. During her residence of several years in the Cook Islands, she has co-operated actively with Dr. E.

P. Ellison in child welfare work.