INDIAN PEANUTS AND PEPPER

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26126, 31 May 1950, Page 9

INDIAN PEANUTS AND PEPPER

SHORTAGES LIKELY IN NEW ZEALAND Pepper and peanuts from India, New Zealand’s main source of supply, will be scarce in a few months, according to Christchurch wholesale merchants. The impending shortage is caused by India’s effort to export these commodities to dollar areas. Pepper is also much deafer now than'

a year ago. In this time the wholesale price of white pepper has been increased by more than five times, and that of black pepper by about three times. Recent shipments of white pepper are retailing about 2s an ounce. Black pepper is slightly more plentiful than white, although no supplies have recently been received from Penang and Singapore, alternative sources to India, because, of the Communist rising.

Advice received in Christchurch by merchants with contacts in India states that the Indian Government has issued no further export licences for peanuts to New Zealand since about the beginning of December. The Government there is not issuing licences to softcurrency areas until, it is believed, a percentage of payment can be made in dollars.

The United States is reported to be buying the cheaper Indian peanuts, although the home-grown product is superior, but dearer. It is hoped that New Zealand and other soft-currency areas will receive quotas of peanut exports later in the year. Christchurch merchants are holding sufficient stocks for some months of normal trading. Chinese and Javanese shelled peanuts may appear oa the market in New Zealand again if supplies from India are not available. Fijian peanuts in the shell may also be imported.