Fiji Has Rice Surplus
p. 45 · Read in the full issue
And a Bumper Season for Other Crops
IN his address to the Legislative Council in Suva during No vember, the Governor said that Fiji has had a prosperous year in the agricultural sphere, with record crops of sugarcane, bananas and rice. Only copra was below average —output was reduced by drought md other circumstances.
The estimated quantity of sugar jane to be harvested this year is 1,482,000. tons—largest amount ever produced in Fiji in one year. That imount will yield between 180,000 md 190,000 tons of sugar—a little jelow the average for the quantity )f cane, but well in excess of Fiji’s luota of 170,000 tons for export.
Not since 1920 have exports of jananas reached this year’s level.
Cotal for the year is expected to be 180,000 cases, valued at £342,000. [he crate problem is being over tome by the establishment of local )ox-making mills and the output is low filling the two ships engaged n the export trade. The acreage mder bananas increased by 2,000 his year to 37,000, and arrange nents have been made for an ex ension of commercial plantings to )valau and Kadavu. Dispersal of he crop is desirable in the event f a hurricane which might other wise wipe out the entire crop as b virtually did after the blow of anuary, 1952, The Colony has produced its ntire needs in rice this year, the lovernor reported. There has, in act, been a small surplus on Vanua ievu. The price of padi has Luctuated during the year from £5O [own to £3O per ton, then up again, with the retail price ranging from Od to 1/- per pound.
There should be good prospects or an export trade in rice, if mech nised methods of production can e introduced. Large areas of idle wamp land are available and are eing surveyed. An application for 83,000 Sterling as a grant under be Colonial Welfare and Develop lent Act has been made by the Jolony to carry out this rice sur ey.
It is estimated that 19,500 acres f land are suitable, over and above be acreage at present in rice pro uction. This land could yield an dditional 22,000 tons of rice each ear, and, on present requirements, rould allow an export of at least 5,000 tons, to satisfy what looked d be a permanent world-shortage f this staple food.
King Ueg of Ulithi, Western Caro nes, died there on September 25. :e was a senior high chief of Mic mesia. Paralysed since a child, he as wheeled about in recent years a a war-surplus bomb-carrier.