Fiji Copra Goes Up

—And Down!

Suva, Jan. 8.

rERE has been another adjustment in the price of Fiji copra. Dating from January 14, FMS grade will rise 2/6 per ton, making the price to growers shipping from the norts of Suva and Levuka, £lB per ton. Dating from Jan uary 28. however, there will be a fall of 22/6 per ton in the price of plantation grade" copra. That is, planters will re ceive £lB/5/6 at the above ports.

The price of both grades fell 10/- on December 1, 1945. The reason given then by the local Department of Agriculture was that this represented an adjustment between the Fiji copra pool price to the grower and the price naid by the Minis try of Food in London. The present adjustment was decided upon by the Fiji Copra Committee in order that the dif ference in nrice of the two grades should be the same as the difference in price paid for the grades by the Ministry—that is, 5/6 per ton.

The reason that the new price for plan tation grade does not operate until Jan uary 28, is to allow planters to sell plantation grade already on hand, at the higher price.

From January 14, all copra delivered at Suva and Levuka and graded at 42 h points or under will be reconditioned at the shipper’s expense. A £1 per ton re inspection fee will also be charged after the reconditioning- is finished.

This measure is apparently designed to deter those planters who may be in clined to allow the standard of their copra to drop now that there is not the same incentive to produce the high-grade

product.