Fiji Surveys Her

More Use of Land Wanted

Fiji Surveys Her Agriculture

A summary of Fiji’s earnings in the overseas markets, from agriculture , is provided by re ports of the recent meeting of the Legislative Council. It is in teresting, in view of Fiji’s grow ing need for increased agricul tural production.

VALUABLE data was supplied both by Departmental reports and speeches by Council members.

Because the 1947 sugar crop (1,487,000 tons) was a record, sugar exports contributed no less than £2 million more to the Colony’s ex ports in 1957 than in 1956.

In 1957, because of low rainfall, copra production fell to 38,300 tons, compared with 41,164 in 1957.

Export of bananas to NZ rose to 309,300 cases, compared with 242,154 cases in 1956, when floods re duced production.

Butterfat production (640,000 lbs) was a record; but the Fiji dairy in dustry is seriously embarrassed be cause its production is much in ex cess of Fiji consumption, and the overseas market is dead. Because of lack of markets elsewhere, Australia and New Zealand are “dumping” butter in Fiji. One Fiji dairy com pany had £15,000 worth of unsale able butter in August, and it was increasing every ten days . .

Council members strongly urged a protective duty against butter from overseas.

The Fiji Government has decided to spend £12,000 this year in en couraging the cocoa industry.

The money will be used for build ings and quarters, farm equipment and land development in establish ing a cocoa station on a 200-acres site near Savusavu. This will pro vide drying and fermenting facil ities for cocoa grown in the neigh bourhood, planting material for farmers, and facilities for cocoa ex perimentation.

"Vulnerable"

. The Government thus is support ing a plan that has been initiated by Carpenter interests in Fiji, for the establishment in Fiji of cocoa and palm-oil industries.

Pointing out that sugar, copra and bananas accounted for 98 per cent, of Fiji’s earnings from agriculture, the Agriculture Department said: ‘This lack of diversification in sources of export income is a weak ness which makes the Colony par ticularly vulnerable should world prices of one of her major exports

collapse.”

Mr. Ayodhya Prasad, Indian mem ber, detailed cases where owners

had ceased to use land after it had gone into the land reserves—the Native Land Trust Board should ex clude land from reserves wherever possible.

Semesa Sikivou, Fijian member, replied: “Time and time again we have asked for finance to develop our land. We have not got the money to get on with developing it, and if you want us to do it then facil itate the provision of loans.”

Dr. Sahu Khan, Indian member, urged the creation of a Marketing Commission, to assist farmers in finding assured outlets for produce, and thus encouraging production.

Mr. John Falvey, European mem ber, emphasising the need to at tract and stimulate new industries,

pointed out that taxation was the first think looked at by investors con templating new enterprises.

Mr. J. Madhavan, Indian mem ber, urged a punitive tax on idle land, so that owners would be forced to subdivide it and lease it to per sons wishing to cultivate it.

A mass attack on the very high incidence of intestinal worms in the Cook Islands is being prepared and will be fought with the aid of expensive drugs and public health education. Plans for the campaign are being prepared by the NZ Medical Research Council’s Dr.

D. D. McCarthy, who has just com pleted a field survey of the situa tion.