FIJI BANANA TRADE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 76, 27 October 1916, Page 3

FIJI BANANA TRADE.

There is every jno liability that the year 1916 will shew a record export , ; of bananas. Loin Fiji (writes one Fiji correspondent). A record is expected, despite tile fact that, owing to the war, shipping facilities have been nii footed. I i Under normal conditions, there is •'no'doubt that all previous records ■ ' would have been broken. ii Jn ,the year 1877, bananas appeared; i for the first time on the list ot ci£ ports, wlicii 3100 bunches wore ship-, i pod. From that date onwards the export lias steadily increased, dcUjate several setbacks caused by hurricane and disease. In 1905, the exports wore equal to 313,829 bunches, and early in 1906 the j floods in Queensland Having practicj ally eliminated that State as a competitor in tile trade for that year, there was a demand for bananas of any description from Fiji, and the exports in that year rose to 987,897 bundles, and it was. not till five years later, however, that the million mark wits reached, 1.328,670 bunches being shipped in 1911. A record was established in 1914, with 1,715,76.6 bunches, but the visit of a hurricane at the end of that year reduced the 1915 figures to 1,013,135 bunches. For the first nine fhontbs of the current year, despite drawbacks in the way of shipping space, disease, labor, etc., the total stands at 1,285,133 bunches, as against 1.01.3,135 for the year 1915; Mr J. W. Philpott, Inspector of Produce, expresses the opinion that in the last quarter of this year, ■enough bananas will be shipped from tlu> colony to eclipse the record established in 1914. .There is no doubt that after the war, the planters of Fiji will agitate foi* the provision of another steamer for the Sydncy-Melbonrne trade. Until hostilities cease, however, lbj> planters realise that they must be content to be as well served as they ai'e at present, for there is no doubt ) that Fiji lias received better treatment than most countries, soU’ar as shipping facilities are concerned. I mumanw -jimpaax rt 'K