Notable Effects of War
p. 24 · Read in the full issue
Fiji Trade In 1941
AS a wartime economy measure, cer tain detailed statistical tables have been omitted from the Fiji Trade Report for the year ending 1941. Never theless, items of exports and imports, which are published, reduce to hard numerical facts many sidelights on the war and of its effect on the Colony. The figures, of course, apply to the period prior to the Pacific war, and in some respects do not give a true indication of present conditions.
Total imports in the Colony in 1941 were valued at £2,162,155, as compared with £1,824,493 for the previous year.
Much of the increase was due to the presence of New Zealand troops. For instance, 302,750 gallons of beer were imported (300,000 gallons of which came from Australia), an increase of over 100 per cent, on the previous year. Cocoa and chocolate, at 58,697 lb., showed an increase of over 100 per cent.
In the last few years the dairy indus
try has been fostered and Fiji became self-supporting. In 1940, only 1,915 lb. of butter were imported. In 1941, butter imports went up to 116,030 lb. Imports of ghee, which the Indian community uses for cooking and similar purposes, have decreased steadily (from 26,000 lb. in 1937 to 6,845 lb. in 1941) and that is because Fiji butter is converted into ghee.
Dried and preserved fruits and vege tables imported, valued at £11,330, showed a big increase on 1940 figures but these (£5,210) were greatly below the average importation over the five-year period, 1937-41.
Mutton and beef rose from 390,555 lb. in 1940 to 655,079 lb. in 1941, but here again the 1940 figures were below aver age. Bacon and hams show a 60 per cent increase—lo9,47s lb., valued at £7,138, were imported.
On paper, these increases in importa tions seem phenomenal; but actually they are due to the presence of New Zea land troops.
Exports during 1941 fell by about £400,000, the figure for this year being £1,154,994. Shortage of shipping in the Pacific since the outbreak of war explains much of this decrease.
Biscuits—a secondary industry that has gone ahead in no uncertain fashion, in Fiji, during recent years—again showed a decided increase in exports. These bis cuits are exported to other Pacific Islands —Tonga, the Ellice and Gilbert groups, the New Hebrides and New Caledonia— for consumption by natives and inden tured labourers. In 1940, 138,329 lb., valued at £2,823, were exported; in 1941 there was an increase to 202,729 lb., with a value of £4,253. Butter exports have become negligible. In 1938, 336 cwt. were exported, but in the last period it has fallen to 20 cwt.
The export of bananas, almost exclu sively to New Zealand, has shown a steady fall over the whole five-year period 1937-41. In the first year of that period, 326,777 bunches, valued at £BO,OOO, were sent out; in 1940, 180,580 bunches, valued at £41,747; and in 1941 there was a further decrease to 94,648 bunches, valued at £21,887.
To compensate for this, the export of canned pineapple has increased approxi mately 15 times during 1937-41. This, of course, is due to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company’s having established canning factories in the Colony, and its organisation of the industry. In 1937, 87,669 lb. were exported; in 1940 the figure had risen to 487,783 lb.; and 1941 showed 1,297,206 lb., valued at £25,630. Of the amount exported in 1941, New Zea land took 611,624 lb., Canada 399,870 lb., United Kingdom 180,350 lb. and Australia 96,199 lb.
The export of raw sugar was 70,328 tons, as against 93,621 tons in 1940 and 129,693 tons in 1937.
Copra exports from Fiji, in common with those from all Pacific Territories, since the war, fell in 1941 —14,918 tons, valued at £85,168, as against 20,379 tons, valued at £125,063, in 1940. However, now that most of the copra-producing territories have fallen into enemy hands, and copra has become precious to the Allied war-effort, it can be expected that the copra export figures in 1942 will show a decided increase.
The export of raw rubber has increased substantially, and here, again, it can be expected that next year’s figures will show a further interesting increase. In 1937 only 159 lb. (value £2) were exported from Fiji. In 1940 it had increased to 151,311 lb. (£5,526); and in 1941 there was a further increase to 200,221 lb. (£9,034).
Timber for the last year showed a slight decline, but over the last five years, as the timber industry of the Col ony has become established, exports have increased by leaps and bounds. In 1938, 18.935 square feet were sent out of the Colony, but in 1939 the figures shot up to 523,394 square feet. In 1940 it was 660.265 and this year, 587,055 square feet, valued at £6,425. Of this last amount, 582,724 square feet, at a value of £6,335, were imported by Australia.