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[May 1907. 



EDIBLE PRODUCTS. 



Fruit Cultivation in Ceylon. 



By J. C. Willis. 



In this paper I only propose to suggest a- few points that have occurred to me 

 in considering this sub ject. One of the first things that a new-comer complains of 

 is the lack of good and cheap fruit. Plantains and Papaws form the staple of the 

 fruit, and only rarely can really good frnit be got, and not only so, but when it is to 

 be had it is very expensive. Mangosteens in Ceylon cost about five times what they 

 cost in Java, and I was told by a landowner that he had rented out his mangosteen 

 trees at Rs. 100 each a year. If all the frnit were exported there would be less 

 reason to complain, but there is no export either. 



Ceylon can produce good oranges, plantains, limes, mangoes, mangosteens, 

 durians, breadfruits, jaks, cherimoyers, pineapples, papaws, avocado pears, sapodillas, 

 cashewnuts, passion fruits, tree tomatos, &c, and in Java, the West Indies, Calcutta, 

 and elsewhere in the tropics one can get good and plentiful fruit. Why do we not 

 get it here ? 



People, especially if they have children, say they will give a good price for 

 good fruit, and the grower says he will sell good fruit for a good price. The great 

 difficulty seems to be to bring them together. One method, and a good one if it 

 could be properly put through, would be a co-operative fruit supply society. Let a 

 number of people subscribe each so much a year, and pay a reliable man to grow 

 fruit in three or four places — say near Colombo, in Hewaheta, and Udapnssellawa — 

 and let the shareholders take the frnit according to their shares. One great difficulty 

 in the way is of course the migrating nature of the European population, who would 

 be the principal consumers of the fruit. 



Another possibility is a " Fruit Supply Agency." Let those willing to buy 

 good fruit send in their names, and all those willing to sell also. Let the agency be 

 worked by a capable inspector, who shall fix prices with sellers, and let him then 

 calculate at what prices fruit can be laid down at the nearest railway station to 

 purchasers. Let him then send a list of fruits and prices to the latter and get orders 

 from them and give them out. Of course his own salary etc., would have to be 

 included in the cost. 



This method would surely work better than the present haphazard system, 

 where one has first to find out where the fruit is grown, and then write to A for 

 oranges, B for mangosteens, and so [on. An agency of this kind might very well be 

 established by the Agricultural Society. 



Now let us consider the question of export. People always think of Europe 

 when they talk of exporting produce, but there are other places to which it may be 

 sent. To Europe one requires cold storage for fruits, at least for most kinds. The 

 steamers fitted with cold storage will only carry fruit if one will guarantee to fill 

 the boat every time she calls at Colombo (unless one could arrange with say the 

 Queensland or Straits Governments to fill a share of a boat). This means the sinking 

 of a large amount of capital in what at first must be a speculation, and of course we 

 should have to compete with the West Indies and other places which have shorter 

 distances to send, no canal dues to pay, and familiarity with the industry. 



But why should we not export to other countries, e.g., India, or even more 

 Australia, which are near to us and where we have no canal dues. To India there 

 seems but little hope of exporting fruit to pay. The Calcutta market is already 



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