Copra

Market Cut Off by Freight Shortage

rE copra position remains bad, and the prospects gloomy. Some copra is being got away, but there is an increasing shortage of shipping and, despite decreased production in all direc tions, there are growing accumulations in most of the Islands stores.

The Sydney firms were advised on November 22 that the British Ministry of Food is again buying copra at about £l2 per ton c.i.f., London, but as freight and other charges from Rabaul to Lon don are by now about £ll per ton ster ling, there was nothing in the trade.

In reply to strong protests, the British authorities suggested that South Pacific copra be shipped from the South Seas to Singapore and thence to Britain—-the freight then from Singapore to Britain being around £6/10/- sterling. But the freight from Rabaul to Singapore makes this impracticable.

It is obvious that Britain at present prefers.to buy Dutch East Indies and Malayan copra.

Very strong representations have been made to the Commonwealth Government by Pacific planting interests in rela tion to the copra industry—but Canberra apparently can give little help. It is all a matter of shipping. If there are to be large accumulations of Australian pro duce in Australia owing to lack of ship ping, the South Pacific territories which produce copra can expect little mercy.

It is expected that Sir Walter Car penter, while in the United States, will make unofficial efforts at Washington to induce the United States to open its doors to a limited amount of South Pacific copra. If this could be done the position may be eased.