Teaching The Islands To

Grow Their Own Rice

A South Pacific Commission Project

WE possibilities of expanding rice , production in selected South Pacific territories are now being amined by Mr. R. Watson, an ex rt of many years’ experience in :e production and marketing in irma and East Africa. His services ;re made available to the South icific Commission for the purpose the Food and Agricultural Organ ition.

Mr. Watson, who arrived in

Noumea early in December, carried out investigations in New Caledonia and Fiji, and left Suva on January 16 for Papua and New Guinea to continue his survey there. He will also visit Netherlands New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the New Hebrides.

In each territory Mr. Watson is studying rice production and potential rice-growing areas, with a view to recommending action for

Young rice, soon after transplanting, [?]wing at St. Louis Mission, near umea.

Mr. Watson (left) discusses wet land

rice cultivation with Dr. Alex Kroon, who is in charge of the Commission’s economic development programme.

creasing production. His invest!- ,tions are expected to take about ur months.

This survey has been arranged by e South Pacific Commission beuse it considers rice production the area can be expanded to ake a more significant contribum to needs that are growing, as ;e becomes more popularly icepted in the region as a staple ;m of diet.

With the exception of Fiji, rice oduction in South Pacific terriries is negligible, as figures in the companying table show. They w“e?eal that imports totalling «ded. At uuu per ton, rice mere

fore costs the South Pacific £2l millions Australian per annum.

In some of the territories Mr.

Watson will visit, steps are already being taken to expand production— for example, the Mekeo scheme in Papua and New Guinea; the Nim boran development project in Netherlands New Guinea; and the investigations being carried out by the Fiji Department of Agriculture.

In none of these territories is further development limited by lack of land. While technological pro blems are a limiting factor, these might be solved in the South Pacific by the application of new te ° hnl9UeS “ "" wneie.

SPORTS AND LOCAL PRODUCTION OF RICE IN SOUTH PACIFIC

Territories

Note: Figures given are latest available for each territory.

Imports Production Quantity Quantity

Territory

Year (Tons) Year (Tons) merican Samoa 1951 100 — — iji 1952 993 1950 18,250 rench Oceania 1952 1,524 — — ilbert & Ellice 1950 548 — — ew Caledonia 1952 2,688 1952 27 ew Hebrides 1952 2,073 — — ew Guinea 1952 7,386 1953 300 apua 1953 3,908 1951 184 Dlomon Islands 1950 1,359 — — restern Samoa 1952 650 — — “therlands New Guinea . 1952 6,043 1952 300