Proposed

Fixed Copra Price

British Offer To Fiji

SUVA, Sept. 6.

THERE has been a great deal of dis cussion here in recent weeks con cerning the future guaranteed price of copra. A new offer has now been made by the British Ministry of Food.

The Ministry offers a choice between two contracts, each covering the entire exportable surplus of coconut products from Fiji and the Western Pacific High Commission territories.

The first is for three years, 1949-51.

The price for 1949 would be £5l sterling per ton (£S6A). Prices for 1950 and 1951 would be not less than £43 sterling; but the price for 1950 would be negotiated before the end of 1949. and that for 1951 before the end of 1950.

The second is for nine years, 1949-57, starting at £4B sterling (£52/10/-A). The price in each succeeding year would be negotiated in the preceding year, but it would not vary by more than 10 per cent, up or down from the price in the pre ceding year.

The producers’ replies to this offer are now awaited.