Samoa Imports Island Fruit
p. 167 · Read in the full issue
Many people outside the Islands, but with flx°d ideas regarding them, would! find some surprise in the manifest of the Union Co.’s “Tarawera” which arrived at Apia from Rarotonga in May. The vessel had a consignment of 100 cases of oranges and 30 of tomatoes to land there for local sale. Cook Is. have exported oranges and tomatoes by sea and air to Tahiti in post-war years and they could probably considerably extend the inter-island trade in these fruits if shipping connections provided better opportunity. Past direct shipping services between Rarotonga and other Island Groups such as French Poly nesia, Tonga, and Samoa, are almost non existent.
Comparatively few citrus fruits are grown in Island areas other than the Cooks and Hawaii, and the same probably applies for tomatoes in any quantity sufficient for an export trade.
Most of the “Tarawera’s” cargo was for NZ, and she diverted to Apia to load bananas too for the same destination.
Engineers from the contracting
firm of Ellis, Hardie & Symington arrived in Rarotonga, Cook Is., re cently to commence the installation of the freezing machinery in the new produce cool store.