FIJI ISLANDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 246, 16 September 1929, Page 2

FIJI ISLANDS

HAWAIIAN COMPANY TO GROW PINES'. SUPPLYING THE BRITISH MARKET. The Hawaiian Pineaple Co., the largest business of its class in the world, which has its huge cannery in Honolulu, has decided to start experiments in the growing of pineapples in Fiji with a view to the possibility of developing a source of supply of the canned fruit for the British market. It is the plan of the company to send one or two men, experienced in pineapples in Hawaii, to Fiji to supervise these experiments. Although the company has been conducting investigations in Fiji, Malaya and other sections of the south Pacific, during the last few years, the above decision represents the first definite step to undertake pineapple growing experiments outside of the territory. More than a year ago Mr Kenneth B. Barnes, secretary of the company, visited Fiji for a study of the pineapple industry then being carried on there, and only recently lie, with Mr S. T. Hoyt, the company’s consulting .engineer, returned to Honolulu from visits to Singapore, the Philippines and Sumatra. Other representatives of the company have been sent on missions to Fiji in the past. Tho company already has obtained certain lands in Fiji which will be used for experimental purposes. Pineapple growing and canninghas been carried on in Fiji in a small way for some years, the bulk of the outturn going to Canada. Should the Hawaiian Pineapple Co. begin growing and canning in Fiji, it would be in direct competition with Singapore, which last year produced about 1,500,000 cases of pineapples, shipping tho bulk to Great Britain, and some to Canada. It is presumed that Hawaiian Pine s experiments in Fiji will be conducted with the smooth cayenne variety, said to be the finest in existence. The Hawaiian Pine’s announcement follows closely that of California Packing Corporation, another Honolulu Pineapple packing concern, to establish an experimental pineapple cannerv in the Philippines.