Islands Ginger
p. 65 · Read in the full issue
Little Demand For
GINGER, although it is expensive to buy in Australasia, does not ; seem to have many prospects as a side-line for Pacific Islands agricul turalists.
That seems to be the opinion of the Fiji Department of Agriculture which recently has issued a useful report on export possibilities—pos sibly as the result of inquiries by Fijian co-operatives and others in terested in reviving a former profit able, though small, export trade.
The Department gives world ex port and import figures for 1952, latest available. Main exporters ivere: Sierra Leone, 1,500 tons; India, 3,200 tons; Jamaica, 1,350 tons; Nigeria, 450 tons. Principal im porters were; United Kingdom, 1,300 tons; Aden, 1,650 tons; Canada, 150 tons; Malaya, 1,150 tons; USA, 1,750 ;ons; Arabia, 600 tons.
There is a small prospective narket for Fiji dried ginger in the the USA, and for ginger n brine—at a price—in New Zea an<?i’ Some Fiji growers have re *mtly been selling green ginger here at about £F37 per ton. Chinese inger in brine is bringing £FI3O er ton in New Zealand. Nigerian rle 3 fHlger £F2SO, and Jamaican ried £F275, the two latter prices emg c.i.f. a UK port.
Peeling is essential, whether dried r exported in brine, and this opera on is estimated by the Depart lent to cost 4d per lb. in Fiji, if me by hand. There are mechanical -elers on the market.
For brine exports, only tender >ots less than four months old are utable, but mature roots are best r the dried product. Root shape important.
Drying can be done in the sun , .'tory dry areas, but elsewhere tmcial methods would be essential 3out 10 lbs of green ginger makes lb of the properly dried pro- Drying has to be done at mparatively low temperatures.
The Department considers that e careful work required in peeling d preparation, to produce a satis ry f l xport P r o du ct “is possibly yond the present ability of grow 3. or co-operative societies” in ginger in brine has 3ved a serious competitor to Fiji ports of green unprocessed, ginger ?± 1S > Unhk( ;i y that th * Priced it Market ** mamtamed ™ pn er s o oFiji Girl Guides recently € J}^ d ? nnual one-day rally fexamiw” 11 ®/ day of contests , examination for certificates thp s were addressed by Lady Garvey i President of the movement y ’