COPRA AND FRUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 109, 11 May 1939, Page 8

COPRA AND FRUIT.

SAMOA'S TRADE POSITION. (From Our Own Correspondent) APIA, April «. Owing to tlio very low copra prices ruling in ]03S the share of copra in the lotn! exports from the mandated teititwT of Western. Samoa lias dropped consMe» iilily, while native copra production has decreased owing to the unwiilingness « the Sanioans to cut all their copra for sale on a weak market. The share « cocoa has increased in spite of low P nc * §|i an a result of the record cocoa crop « M 1938. Profitable banana prices in M» | resulted in the export value of the fruit || being materially increased and bansnai nre now second only to copra in the || exports of the territory! occupying the place formerly held by cocoa. More thai jj| half of the Snmoan exports are nowmide j| up of bananas and cocoa, instead of copn m as formerly. j§ Or the 11.241 tons exported in Uμ. |j 5677 tons, or 77.2 per cent, were nafc« i produced and of the 13.3-10 exported m | 10.37, 10.i>2.1 tons, or 79.6 per cent, were | native produced. Samoa supplies abont 1 | per cent of the world's production <* g copra and the industry is still the most g important in the territory. | For the twelfth year in succession, 1»» 1 showed a favoui able trade balance, TO" 1 1 amounted to £52,333.