The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-05-16
OF
BANANA BUSINESS

H. v. Stuart-Carey writes as fol-
lows in newspaper of Fiji:
Fiji has not yet realized the enor-
nous commercial possibilities of the
banana. OF the popularity of the fruit
and its prolific character, it is un-
necessary to speak. The proved nu-
tritious properties of the fruit destine
it to become a fruit for the million in
all parts of the world. The export of
the fruit in it's natural state is only
the commencement of an industry that
contains infinite possibilities of COM
mercial expansion, with economical
treatment and entire absence of waste.
The occasional glut of the green fruit,
over reproduction and irregular trans
port, all tend to enormous wastage and
low prices. By the introduction of
such an industry as 1 propose to briefly
outline. it would be possible to secure
markets throughout the world, and al
so to eliminate the wastage of one
single bunch of fruit. There are no
less than twenty-three ye-products
that can be economically manufactured
from the banana, and not one of these
has yet been scientifically or CONNER
cialTy exploited. in any save the small
est degree. Fiji possesses unique adj
vantages for tie establishment of
banana preserving industry, in con-
junction with fruit canning as the TWO
essentials fruit and sugar. are both
abundant and cheap. Moreover, the
the Fijian banana is more especially
adapted for successful preservation
than the same fruit grown in Queens
land or the West Indies. From expert
ments I have conducted, / am con-
WINGED that at least two varieties OF
the island banana are eminently adapt
ed for the manufacture of no less than
ten bye-products, including the plain
dried banana, crystalliZed bananas.
deSsicated bananas, banana meal
(moisD, banana flour, banana sugar,
bananas preserved in syrup, banana
essence, banana jam, and banana fibre.
A long and thorough practical expert
ence in fruit drying, evaporation, crys-
utilization and dessication has given
me a knowledge of the subject that
may be of service to the Colony, and I
am very willing to give a demonstra-
ton of the practical nature of the
scheme to any gentlemen who have
sufficient interest in its possibilities.
Again. the deSsication of cocoanut, the
drying of coffee, vanilla cocoa and
ginger. can all be economically done
in the islands by a process with which
I am thoroughly familiar And the
canning of pineapples of the West In
dian variety forms in itself alone a
most profitable industry. There is an
unlimited market for banana products,
and the cost of production is so eX-
trernely low, that it affords a very
handsome margin of profit for the
! manufacturer. In the initial stage of
the industry, 1 would suggest the es-
tablishment of a small factory in Suva
with the power of ready expansion.
and eventually it should be possible for
every planter IN Fiji to possess his
own drying and preserving plant. TuI-
ton in the different processes might I
suggest. be given under the guidance of
| the Agricultural Department. and sub
| sidized by the Government. I feel con-
WINGED that the inevitable expansion
of the trade would justify the appoint
ment of commercial agents in New
Zealand, Australia and Canada, who,
| if properly qualified men, could be of
| enormous service in promoting the ex-
| port trade of Fiji. In anticipation of
! the conventional objections that may
be raised against the establishment of
such a scheme-First: it has been af-
| firmed that bananas cannot be success
| fully dried in Fiji. To this objection,
i I can only say that I have in my pos
session an. excellent sample of bananas
| dried in Suva- by the most primitive
and unscientific process. nearly three
months ago, and at the present moment
they are in perfect condition. and are
likely to remain so for a considerable
period. BY process have discover
1 ed in California, it is possible to dry
bananas, and to keep them in any
climate for not less than two years.
| This also applies to the different bye
! products. AS far as 1 can discover the
| process is entirely unknown in Fiji.
Cost of production:-A bunch of bana-
mas representing eight hands. contain
!, ing on an average 140 pieces of fruit,
will produce 80 lbs. of jam, with total