High Cost Of Beetles

IN the four years after Rhinoceros Beetles were found in Fiji in March, 1953, the Colony ex pended £F217,000 on its campaign of restricting the spread of this coconut pest.

At first it was hoped to eradicate the beetle altogether, but this has not been achieved. The best that can be said is that it has been confined to Viti Levu—where there are no large plantations—and has been kept out of the copra growing areas of the Colony such as Taveuni, Vanua Levu and the Lau Islands.

The cost of the campaign is paid for by a levy on each ton of copra produced.