Trade Boom In

Fiji

Favourable Visible Balance of £2,600,000

SUVA, April 21.

FIJI’S unfavourable trade balance in 1951 and 1952 was reversed in 1953, when the value of ex ports set an all-time record of £13,180,698, exceeding 1952 by £2,182,648.

The value of imports fell by £1,459,993; and the net result was a favourable balance of visible trade of £2,632,071.

Sugar exports reached a new re cord of 177,870 tons, valued at £7,706,130.

The total value of copra, coconut oil and coconut meal exported dropped from £2,665,542 in 1952 to £2,534,852, despite the increased price paid by the British Ministry of Food. The increase in local processing was indicated by an in crease in exports of coconut oil and a drop in exports of copra.

Banana exports to New Zealand, recovering from the calamitous 1952 hurricane, rose from £60,502 in 1952 to £332,897 in 1953.

Gold exports fell from £1,170,247 to £993,698.

There are no signs of undue jubilation; but, instead, a some

what uneasy awareness of the ex tent to which Fiji is dependent on overseas markets and, for that matter, on overseas sources of essential food supplies. Fiji’s economic eggs are in too few baskets—a future slump in sugar and copra prices could create an unhappy situation.

Owners of large coconut estates in the eastern islands (mostly Euro peans) are—or ought to be—on top of the world financially; but many of 'theon complain of a chronic shortage of plantation workers.

Some plantation-owners hope to still obtain cheap labour; but if there is a general shortage despite such incentives as good conditions and wages, it is presumably due to the natural Fijian preference for producing Fijian copra, plus the steady exhortation to the Fijians

to produce from their own lands.

The indigenous Fijians produce about two-thirds of Fiji’s copra.

Copra production is Fiji’s second industry. The ten-years’ contract with the British Ministry of Food has given it unprecedented stability.

Parallel with the trade record, 1953, saw new peaks in the number of ships and aircraft calling at Fiji.

U Doctor Lajos Roth returned to Wewak, NG, from Samarai, in early April. The doctor had been at Samarai for two months, but prior to his going on leave, he was stationed at Wewak and on his de parture from that Station, the native people, headed by Simogun, petitioned the Administrator for his return. Dr. Roth has been followed, in Samarai, by Dr. Sobol.