[?]ers’ Conference

[?] Industry

[?] 1957

[?]ers’ Conference Suggested in Suva

iscussing the Fiji copra astry recently, the Fiji Times d that the whole of the ms surrounding coconut % and marketing should be d, in the light of the :hing end of the British y of Food copra-buying t.

MOP Contract, which now copra production in all countries in the South exnires at the end of 1957. it, during 1956, the planters leen getting quite a few per ton. above the world or their product), josition in Fiji, as described newspaper, is of interest to planters all over the South ,s pointed out that, if the planter were selling his n the world market, he now )e getting about £72 Fijian, •pean port. Out of that £72, d have to pay, under present ns in Fiji: Per Ton £F to Europe, insurance hrinkage 15 nd bagging ... 3 its’ handling 3S 9 production and of >ort to Fiji port 30 ieduction from cif 57 leavss the Fiji planter a •fit of only £l5 per ton, th to pay Fiji taxation and living costs. On a small an, doing 5 tons per month, not enough. ? iji Times strongly r°com planters in that country to the foregoing figures closely, mperative, if the coconut is to survive, after the 0 open-market selling, that 1 a profit of more than £l5 Probably, it will not be •ossible to reduce the £l5 ?ht, insurance and shrink ■ the other items—especially allowed for production and -ansport costs—should be 'hole marketing outlook, as cember 31, 1957, is affected following factors: world market still is ed largely by Unilever; and takes the fullest advantage act that many oils, hitherto irded as rivals of coconut r can be reconditioned in

such a way that they can be used as edible oils instead of coconut oil. • There are crushing mills in Rabaul and Suva and it is held by many that, for convenience and as a matter of local economy, it is better to sell to the crushers than to the open market. • It is generally believed that Unilever, as a matter of policy does not favour the establishment of local crushing mills, and that this makes it difficult to market coconut oil overseas—but this, of course, depends on the influence which Unilever exerts over world markets generally. • By far the greater part of the world’s copra is produced in Indonesia, Malaya and Philippines —the South Pacific’s modest pro duction can have no effect on world prices, one way or the other— unless perhaps it secures a reputa tion for outstanding quality.

In its article, the Fiji Times urged that steps be taken to bring all the coconut planters of the South Pacific Territories together, in conference, to consider any steps which may be taken, by joint action, to protect the industrv. after the expiry of the MOF contract. t Pastor Bonzon of the Protestant Evangalical Mission of Paris visited Tahiti recently in connection with the unveiling of a memorial at Point Venus commemorating tl landing of the first Protestai missionaries.