Spices can be alternate crops

What to grow as well as cocoa? That's the question New Guinea lanters, particularly in the Madang, Rabaul and Kavieng Disticts, have een asking recently’. With world prices for cocoa fluctuating widely rom week to week planters see a need to diversify and grow other roduce to fall back on when cocoa prices are down.

One of the best answers to the problem is to grow spices. Ginger, epper, chillies, cinnamon and cardamons —they all would be suitable ir New Guinea coastal conditions.

Already, small experimental crops of pepper and chillies are under ay at Rabaul and Madang and small quantities have been sold locally nd on the Australian market.

In a series starting in June, “PIM” will, in its Practical Planter ection, examine in turn —starting with pepper—all the spices that could e successfully grown in many areas of New Guinea, and indeed other acific Islands.

"PIM” will detail the climate, soils and altitude best to grow spices nd outline methods of cultivation, harvesting and preparation, all impor mt factors for planters contemplating diversifying their crops.