Crushing Mills

[?]ely Summary Director Crushing Mills

I economic effect in a Terri fy of the establishment of >pra crushers, and the milling narketing of oil and meal, is ively set out in a pamphlet ;n and published recently by N. G. Johnson, Chairman of . Carpenter & Co. (Fiji) Ltd. penters in recent years have ished large copra crushers in (Fiji) and Rabaul (New a). Mr. Johnson supervised hiding of the Suva mill seven ago, and has since directed ccessful operations: and none ;er qualified than he to discuss Native claims of disposing of (a) by direct shipment to a markets, and (b) by sale to )cal crushers, for conversion il and meal. ind this useful compilation is idow which increasingly is g the attention of all South J copra producers—the end of iritish Ministry of Food’s 9contract, on December 31, 1957. esent all British growers are I the benefit of that contract, 3 receiving rates better than Drld open market price. What ig to happen to them after OF contract expires?

Mr. Johnson points out, the Pacific islands produce only 185,000 tons per annum of the 5 total production of 2,800,000 vhile Fiji’s contribution to the Pacific total is under 40,000 The South Pacific planters hieve nothing by acting as a body, no matter how united lay be.

Johnson therefore argues •y in favour of (a) as much pra as possible going to the rs and (b) an effort being o produce high instead of low copra in Fiji. luotes statistics to show that

copra which goes directly to the crushers in Suva earns an average of £l5 4 per ton more than the copra shipped abroad; and that, in the seven years since the crushers were established, the Fiji growers have thus benefited by at least £150,000. He points out, however, that all Fiji growers got the benefit —the extra price from the crushers was not reserved by the Copra Board for the growers who supplied Suva, but was distributed pro rata among all growers.

It is shown that, of Fiji’s total production of nearly 40,000 tons per annum, 35,000 tons go to Suva to the crushers, while the balance is shipped overseas from Levuka and

Savu Savu. Mr. Johnson argues in favour of all Fiji copra going into Suva, now—and he seems to have logic as well as sentiment on his side.

Under present conditions, there is very little difference in price be tween the poor smoke-dried quality, and the high quality copra which comes out of hot-air driers. Natur ally, therefore, the grower takes the easy way and exercises little care in production. But if real induce ments were given, a large proportion of growers would strive for high quality—especially as it is likely that a small, reasonably-priced copra drier will come on the market soon, Mr. Johnson points out that the

whole of the mill’s processes npw are adjusted to the low quality copra. So little good quality comes in that a special crushing is not worth while. But if a lot of good quality came in regularly, the mill would be reorganised to take it, and a higher price would be paid. “Good quality copra gives good quality oil.”

The pamphlet is a timely, strong and impressive argument that the growers, the Government and the millers of Fiji should consider the whole field of copra production, so as to meet a difficult position that probably lies right ahead.

Mr. Johnson, making his plea for general public support of the local crushers, reminds his readers that all the copra diverted from direct

oversea shipment to the crushers not only gives the grower at least 25/- per ton more, but also pays the Colony substantial sums in local wages, taxation, and local commerce generally. And he adds that Island Industries Ltd., which own the Carpenter crushers (the Carpenter mill takes the major part of the Suva copra, and Union Soaps Ltd. the balance) are getting ready for increased business by providing more transport and storage facilities. r The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific (Mr. John Gutch), accompanied by Mrs. Gutch and his ADC, Capt. W. Curtis, RN, left Honiara on April 3 in the* MV Kovala for a tour of Malaita.