Trade not
p. 55 · Read in the full issue
End Of An Illusion
Cook Is. Citrus Trade not Essential to NZ
COOK Islands citrus fruit exports, commonly believed by many people in New Zealand and the Islands to be the IDominion’s main supply source, ■especially of oranges, are nothing of the sort. Figures covering New Zealand’s ■citrus imports in recent years are by no means easy to obtain and ■ for that reason have received little ' publicity. f To reach some kind of an I assessment of New Zealand market requirements, PIM recently had a {search made of the ‘Customs : Department’s import records at Wellington.
I These show that since 1945 Ipranges have been imported from ■ the following countries: Australia, British West Indies, South Africa, Fiji, Cyprus, Pitcairn, Algeria. ■Tonga, the United States and the Cook Islands, with Australia, British West Indies (Jamaica), South Africa, and the Cooks being the only important regular sources "Since 1952, and Cyprus, Algeria, and
the US supplying single shipments m one year only, during the period 1945-54.
IMPORTATIONS are seasonal, Jamaica supplying from January to March, the Cooks April to June, South Africa June to September, and Australia June to January.
Australia has supplied by far the greatest proportion of total imports during the 1945-54 period.
Here are actual orange import figures for the year, ending on March 31, 1955; Australia, 20,700,000 lb; Jamaica, 4,700,000; South Africa, 4,200,000; Cook Islands 3,500,000; Cyprus, 29,700; Algeria! 29,400.
The figure for the Cooks is an estimate as the published data combined oranges and other citrus, case-sizes for which are different.
Total number of cases of all citrus from the Cooks was 55,018.
Oranges are in approximately 70 lb cases, from which the above estimate has been reached.
It is quite clear, from a perusal of the seasonal imports of oranges, that the Cook Islands could safely increase its output ten times and still find a ready market, at 1955 prices, in New Zealand during the months April-June, which is the only time of the year that South Pacific citrus bears in any quantity.
rThe average export price of French Oceania’s 215,700 metric tons of copra shipped in 1954 was about £ABB a long ton. Production was up by 26 per cent, on 1953. Coconut oil brought an average of about £AI23 a long ton, and the output increased by 50 per cent, to 6,300 metric tons.