How Fiji Bananas Are Sold
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
To Nz
IN an article In the May Issue of the “PIM” dealing with the export of bananas from Fiji, it was stated that “the New Zealand Marketing De partment buys bananas from the Fiji Government” and “the Fiji Government now pays the growers.”
We are informed officially from Suva that neither statement is correct.
Bananas are bought in Fiji by licensed buyers, and not by the Government. The only concern of the Department of Agri culture is that the growers receive not less than the minimum price required under the Fruit Export and Marketing Regulations, and that fruit is up to the required standard. All the licensed buyers are either independent operators or (in two cases) Fijian growers’ co operatives.
The minimum prices paid for bananas are those recommended by the Banana Board, on which there is an unofficial majority representative of growers and buyers.
The article said that New Zealand might take a total of 50,000 cases of bananas a year. This number should have been 500,000 cases. In recent years Fiji alone has shipped over 100,000 cases to NZ annually.