Jute Market
p. 59 · Read in the full issue
Interesting Moves In
PEOPLE in Papua-New Guinea who say that kenaf fibre has already achieved its purpose in that the price of jute has fallen to about half its peak price, may be interested in the Australian version of this fall.
There the impact of kenaf, or the threat of kenaf in the future, is believed to have little to do with the present price of jute. It is be lieved, instead, that Australia’s de velopment of bulk handling of wheat and sugar supplies the answer to the spectacular fall.
Bulk handling was itself a direct development of the high cost of jute,
but this method of dealing with wheat and sugar is now likely to stay, no matter how low jute prices fall.
In addition, Australia has large stocks of jute on hand and this year will take only about 40,000 tons of jute—half normal purchases.
It is believed that the Indian Government is worried about the new trend in their lucrative Australian market and may make a move to put a ceiling on the export price of jute.
At a meeting at the Lautoka Mosque, Fiji, on July 5, a Fiji Muslim Women’s Association was formed. The patron of the new association is Mrs. M. T. Khan, and the President Mrs. M. S. Khan