Export Drop

P-NG Trade Figures Copra, Rubber Cause Export Drop

• Lower prices for copra, rubbe\ and cocoa are one of the man reasons why the value of Papua* New Guinea exports have droppei by £ 171,344, for 1956-57.

HOWEVER, it could have beej wo r s e—increases in primaa products and a greater produo tion of plywood and, surprisingl! gold, helped to offset the effects.!

Total export figure for the yea was £13,078,814.

Imports were £19,580,233, an in crease of £324,370 over the previoa year.

The new set of figures was an nounced in Port Moresby in De cember by P-NG Collector c Customs, Mr. T. Grahamslaw.

The figures show that main ill creases in imports were on food an fuel oils, including aviation petrol Value of copra and other coconj products exported was £7,104,8] (97,038 tons), compared wij £7,649,818 (96,815 tons) for tlj previous year.

Rubber exports were 3,966 ton worth £1,148,542, compared with 3,7 tons, worth £1,386,787, for the prea ous year.

Export of 2,125 tons of cod brought in £462,180, compared wij 1,289 tons, worth £360,864, the preil ous year.

Gold brought in £1,231,358, con pared with £1,073,116.

However, coffee exports were afl up, and earned more—274 tons (I by 103 tons) to bring in £183,49 compared with £93,829 for the preij ous year.