Little Benefit to W. Samoa

While English and Australian cocoa buyers were offering £4OO to £420 Stg. per ton, FOB Apia, for W. Samoa cocoa during January, the American market continued to hold back, believing that the pre sent sellers’ boom is only temporary and that prices will soon level off at a much lower figure.

Unfortunately, most planters and shippers of Samoan cocoa had com mitments at much lower prices than those recently offering, and were unable to benefit during the present off-season.

W. Samoa shipped 3,700 tons in 1953, an all-time record, and in 1954 the indications are that the figure will be well over 4,000 tons as large areas are coming into bearing.