Price of Fiji Copra

Letter to the Editor

YOUR article about copra in Fiji (June “PIM”) reads well —unless one is in touch with the real facts. Then you get a different perspective on Fiji Copra.

Your article is only part correct.

The article does not inform your read ers that since April, 1943, all copra pur chased in Fiji has been purchased on account of the Ministry of Food, and all profits that are made since April, 1943, are to accrue to the Ministry of Food.

There is, of course, the possibility that the Ministry of Food will distribute any profits to the producers in the \tfay of bonus, as was lately done to the tune of 15/- per ton.

There is at present a surplus in hand, on the account which includes the loss on Rotuma copra, and the credit balance in that old account is well over £15,000.

The new account opened on account of the Ministry of Food, wherein all profits accrue to the Ministry of Food, dates from April, 1943, to 1944; and the profit of several thousands of pounds already in credit on what is now called the New Account will no doubt be reimbursed to producers in due course.

That it is necessary to withhold such information from the producers is a mystery.

There is one price paid by the Minis try of Food, f.o.b. for Fiji copra, to the Fiji Government or Fiji Copra Board (or whatever name it fits) and quite another price paid by the Copra Board to the producers—in fact, the f.o.b. prices, as taken aboard ship at Fiji ports for export is on a margin of 5/- only between grades of f.a.q. and Plantation. Yet local Fiji prices are wide open at 30/-, between grades.

It is getting more difficult every day to get copra through as Plantation grade.

Soon we in Fiji will need to wrap up every piece of copra in cellophane to get past the grader.

It will be noted, too, no producer sits on the Copra Board; and supposed Secur ity reasons prohibit figures of production.

But producers wonder why the New Deal, since April, 1943, to date, has been, for Security reasons, withheld from the pro ducers.

I have no reason to doubt that the

Ministry of Food will not do the right thing by the producers, and all profits will come back to them in the way of bonus payments per ton.

But I cannot worry out the Security reasons for holding back the real facts from the producers, about New Deals, etc.

I cannot get a single line of reasoning to account for the secrecy.

I am, etc.,

Ga Ni Bulu.

Vanua Levu. 10 10/44.