New Guinea May Give Fiji (and NZ) 85,000
p. 26 · Read in the full issue
Big Banana News
New Guinea May Give Fiji (and NZ) 85,000 More Cases per annum
New Guinea wild sugar-cane has long been used as breeding material for the benefit of sugar-cane growers in Fiji and elsewhere.
But NG has now made another gift to Fiji—to the probable enrichment of Fijian pockets and the appeasement of New Zealanders’ banana hunger.
NEW ZEALAND would get another 85,000 cases of Fij bananas per annum if the seal moth, estimated to cut productior by a quarter, could be wiped out.
High hopes are held for a tin: predator, not bigger than a pin head, that feeds on the larvae 01 the moth.
It was discovered in New Guine: four years ago by the Fiji Agrii cultural Department’s senior entoi mologist, Mr. B. A. O’Connor, an« Fiji appointed a well-known enta mologist, Mr. R. W. Paine, whi formerly did very useful work i: Fiji as Government Entomologis to investigate the parasite.
He found in New Guinea not on parasite in the clean banana area, but five, and the one most suitabl for Fiji was selected, and will sooi be used to combat the moth.
Considerable research has bee carried out by the Department t prove that the parasite will U successful, and also to ensui that it would not attack othe economic species. Exhaustiv laboratory tests have shown tM parasites have a decided preferen* for the scab moth larvae, and tM parasites will soon be released.
Over recent years Fijian produce; have been doing pretty well increasing production to appeal the New Zealand appetite. In tl last four years an average of 340,(K cases have been shipped, compare with an average 145,000 cases 1947-51. (In the hurricane year 1952 only 67,000 cases went soui to NZ).
According to the Acting Direct! of Agriculture, Mr. N. Lament, tH present figure cannot be increase very much unless radical chang in the organisation of the industr are made, and a number problems relating to soil fertill and cultural practices are solves However, if something could done to save that lost 85,000 cas? no extra planting would be 3 volved at all.