Chapter XVI 

 Marketing Coconuts and Copra 



WHEN the coconut is ripe for harvesting 

 the crop is usually sold " on the tree" or 

 " on the ground." In the latter case the 

 planters generally advertise the fact that they have 

 so many thousands of nuts for sale, say, of the 

 second or third picking. These are left complete in 

 their husks and placed conveniently for their 

 subsequent removal by the purchaser. They are 

 then sold by the thousand, the price obtained, of 

 course, varying according to size and quality. 

 Quite early on the day appointed for the sale the 

 dealers foregather, inspect the nuts and buy 

 parcels to suit their requirements, it being the usual 

 custom to remove the lots purchased within two 

 or three days. Very frequently the grower will 

 undertake to have the nuts husked for his buyers, 

 charging them about Is. per 1,000, providing the 

 labour and taking the husks in part payment. 



In the course of a general discussion of this 

 question of marketing with a London merchant, 



