Copra

Uk Offer For 1950

Fiji and Ceylon Negotiations

THE British Ministry of Food has offered £45 sterling for Fiji copra during 1950. This represents a reduction on the present price (£4Bstg.) of 6.2 per cent.

Under the Copra Purchasing Agreement the price has to be negotiated annually and must not be more than 10 per cent, higher or lower than the price paid the previous year.

The UK Ministry of Food has copra agreements with Papua-New Guinea, Cey lon, Western Samoa, some WPHC terri tories as well as Fiji. The price fixed for one territory will naturally affect the purchasing price in any of the others.

The Fiji Copra Board, which announced the UK offer on November 16, made this statement: — The chairman of the Fiji Copra Board, Mr. C, Harvey (Fiji Director of Agriculture), is in London in connec tion with the Sugar Conference and will take the opportunity during this visit of inquiring into the state of the copra market and of opening up discussions with the British Ministry of Food on the new price offer. No decision, of course, will be reached until the Fiji Board has had an opportunity of con sidering Mr. Harvey’s report.

It is understood that negotiations for the 1950 prices are now taking place between the British Ministry of Food and Ceylon and it is considered that the outcome of these discussions will reflect more clearly the present trend in world copra prices and assist the Board in its deliberations.