Fiji Sugar

Confidently Expected That New Agreement Will Give Security To Industry

Sydney. Jan. 12.

ALTHOUGH an official statement re garding a guaranteed quota and price for Fiji sugar is still awaited, enough is known of recent developments in London to give Fiji sugar interests con fidence that the future of this important industry now is secure for several years.

It is anticipated that the British Colonies will be given a quota of 1,550,000 tons per annum, which will be divided between the United Kingdom’s guaran teed market (1,100,000 tons) and Cana dian and other British markets (450,000 tons).

Fiji will supply a part of that 1,550,000 tons per annum. The proportion is not yet announced, but everyone is confident that it will be satisfactory.

Under the current agreement with the British Ministry of Food —now in opera tion, and to remain in operation until the end of 1952 —Britain takes all the sugar that the Dominions and Colonies can produce, at a guaranteed price. The new agreement is to guarantee the quantity and the price that Britain and allied markets will accept in 1953-57. The price will be fixed by periodical dis cussions, within a fixed range, and those regular conferences also will decide whether the guarantee will extend into 1958 and beyond. It is confidently ex pected that the guarantee will be so extended.

The general effect will be the stabilisa tion of a great industry that, in the past, has been subject to very embarrassing fluctuations. The guarantees covering quantity and price will enable planters generally to make long-term plans for planting.

Strike Talk Is Embarrassing

Suva. Dec. 19.

TALK of strikes on Fiji’s canefields, plus a recently-issued “call” to members of a farmers’ association to stop growing cane, could jeopardise the Colony’s sugar export industry.

A Government statement says that Fiji’s delegation to the London sugar con ference, which includes Swami Rudran anda and Mr. H. S. L. Polak. has protested that such propaganda can be extremely embarrassing, since other pro ducing countries could use such information as an indication that Fiji was unlikely to produce the quota for which it was asking.