Conference On
pp. 22-151 · Read in the full issue
Sequel To Cocoa Conference
Ng Coffee
It was suggested in June “PIM” that if New Guinea coffee growers and Australian coffee merchants could get together in a conference (like the cocoa conference held in Rabaul some months ago) it would be a very good thing.
It is probably coincidental, rather than because of any influence “PIM” has on the Minister for Territories, but in September, Mr. Hasluck an nounced that he was in the course of arranging such a conference. In an official handout he said: THE Government and the Admin istration are well aware of the problems of marketing the pro ducts of Papua and New Guinea and have devoted considerable attention to them.
The policy already publicly ex pressed by me on several occasions is that the Australian market should be assured to all Territory products which are complementary to Australian production.
This policy has been pursued over the past seven years in discussions with Australian importers, in gov ernmental decisions, in trade negoti ations with other countries and in inter-governmental bodies such as the Australian Agricultural Coun cil.
Past Success Among the examples of success may be quoted the obtaining of a waiver on GATT for Territory pro ducts, arrangements made for the marketing of rubber and discussions with Australian importers regard ing the marketing of cocoa.
Similar measures are already be ing undertaken in respect of coffee and, following the recent success of a cocoa conference at Rabaul, I am at present in course of arranging a coffee conference which will prob ably be held in the New Guinea Highlands, in order to bring together the coffee growers, the selling agents, the coffee merchants and the Terri tory Agricultural Department as well as officers of the Department of Territories, to discuss particular problems.
The production of coffee is grow ing at the following rate: 1955-56, imports of 170 tons; 1956-57, 274 tons; 1957-58, 370 tons. Total im ports of coffee into Australia in 1957-58 were 6,000 tons.
Until 1957-58 coffee was meeting a rising market and a world short age. Now, world stocks are accumu lating and prices are falling.
Naturally, merchants in Australia are unwilling to build up large stocks for fear that they may be caught
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by falling prices.
This means that New Guinea coffee producers may not be able to sell their consignments as quickly as they did in the past but we are confident that the whole of New Guinea coffee can eventually be taken this year.
The proposed conference between growers, merchants, agents and the Administration will have the follow ing purposes: to lay a sound basis for future marketing to enable the producers to appreciate the particular requirements of the merchants or processors: to enable the merchants to recognise the dif ficulties encountered by the grow ers in producing the manufacturer’s exact requirements; to help the agents to understand how best to market the coffee beans to the satis faction of the merchants and the growers: and to assist the Adminis tration to determine the most appro priate directions in which its re search and extension work should be applied.