htiit it 28S^] 



*!' M 



mofiCkh Aome0LT0iixsf. 



64^ 



INDIAN AND CEYLON TEA STATISTICS. 



Messrs. Gow, Wilson & Stanton's Circular which 

 we publish below, goes largely over the same ground 

 as, and puts forward many of the conclusions arrived 

 at in Messrs. Stenning, Innskip & Co.'s, which we 

 lately dealt with. On the one hand, we see, that the 

 deliveries of Indian and Ceylon teas had increased 

 by more than fourteen millions of pounds in five 

 years. On the other large imports, and, unfortun- 

 ately, the inferior quality of some of the tea had 

 sent down prices to an unprecedented extent. The 

 fall in prices would be alarming, but for the re- 

 flection that low prices have always led to largely 

 increased consumption, and that a subsequent re- 

 action to higher prices has not lowered deliveries. 

 If, therefore, the prices of last year were the 

 lowest ever reached, comfort is to be derived from 

 the fact that never were the deliveries of Indian 

 and Ceylon kindslarger. Ceylon contributed a 

 considerable proportion of the increase of thirteen 

 millions of Indian kinds imported in 188G over 

 1885, and it is time that Ceylon teas were 

 separately dealt with, rather than included 

 in the Statistics of Indian teas. They 

 stand apart as much as Java, and in a far more 

 favourable position. 



Nevertheless, for all the producing countries, 

 the figures showing exports and transhipments 

 to places on the Continent of Europe and 

 elsewhere, are very interesting and suggestive, 

 Of the estimated deliveries equal to seven millions 

 of pounds per mensem in 1887, we may take it 

 for granted that over 10. probably 12 per cent 

 will be Ceylon teas, which, although they also 

 have gone down ic value, still continue to hold 

 the first place in the London market, as they 

 will in other markets, when their quality becomes 

 known in such markets. It is satisfactory to learn 

 that, in the face of largely increasing production 

 especially in Ceylon, not only is home consumption 

 increasing, but also deliveries for export ; 

 it is well to observe the advice tendered to us 

 to pay attention to new markets and to the 

 sustaining of quality. In the latter respect 

 however, we are far more dependent on seasonal 

 influences, — the effect of local weather,— than our 

 friends at home, may be ready to admit. Certain 

 it is that never were science, skill and care more 

 fully applied to the jDreparation of tea in India 

 and Ceylon, and yet at this moment, lowered 

 prices are attributed to a falling-off in quality ! 

 The great hope of the Indian and Ceylon tea- 

 producer as regards " new markets " must be 

 based on the United States and Canada, while a 

 steady increase in consumption of good teas in 

 Britain may bo anticipated. 



The first of these is the increase of over 13 miliioa 

 pounds in the arrivals from ludia. 



The second, the unusually large proportion of infe- 

 rior liquoring Teas contained in the Indian crop. 



The third is the rapid increase in the imports from 

 Oey on. 



These three causes have resulted in a serious de- 

 preciation in the value of Tea generally — particularly 

 the lower grades — and in an unusually heavy accum- 

 ulation of stock ' t the close of the year. 



The pressure of the increasing imports from Ceylon 

 was first seriously felt about May to July, when ar- 

 rivals from Ceylon were heaviest, and the trade was 

 at its slackest point, — a position which may be in- 

 tensified diuring the coming season. These unusual 

 arrivals thus exercised con iderable influence aLd tem- 

 poi'arily depreciated values. 



The Indiaa crop then beginning to arrive proved 

 most disappointing in quality, and thus caused a demand 

 for the few finer desciiptions. The crop soou assumed 

 larger proportions than the trade couJd absorb, and 

 prices g.-rierally commenced to recede. The flood of 

 common teas, of which the arrivals chiefly consisted, 

 also told seriously upon the market, and during the 

 last quarter of the year quotations for the lower (des- 

 criptions fell to a point never previously reacted; 

 Although ihis redurtion in values soon caus<d an in- 

 crease iu the deliveries of Indian and Ceylon teisand 

 hfted them higher during the last qu rter than any 

 previous record — as depicted on the chart— Iha diop 

 occurred too near the close of the year to prevent an 

 accumulation of stock, nearly 9 millions in excess of 

 that on 31st December, 1885. 



1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 



a Imports of 



Indian and 



Ceylon tea 61,667,000 67,152,000 66.863,000 83,460,080 

 h Delivery of 



Indian and 



Ceylon tea 59,09«,000 64,217,000 68,895,000 74,6G5,O0O 



Stock of 



Indian and 



Ceylon tea 24,116 000 27,076 000 25,780,000 34,o48,000 



INDIAN TEA STATISTICS. 



London, E.C, 11th Feb. 1887. 



The lower quotations chronicled last year were not 

 confiued to the grades shown in the accompanying 

 diagram ; they extended to all descriptions except 

 the finest Pekoes and Broken Pekoes. The supply 

 of these kinds was unusually limited ; hence they 

 alone have maintained their Values. The fall in prices 

 Was heaviest during the last few months of the year, 

 and had the eifect of raising the deliveries for the last 

 cjuarter to the highest figure ever yet reached. 



"Without giving a detailed review of the many varia- 

 tions in price which have occurred, aud which are 

 common to most seasons, there are a few points which 

 render the year 1886 remarkable, and which from 

 their importance deserve more than passing comment, 

 83 



a Import of Indian Tea 1885, 6 ',160,000 1886, 

 70..'i85,000. Import of Ceylon Tea 1885 3,703,000 ; 1886; 

 6,876.000. 



h Delivery of Indian Tea 1885, 65,678,000; 1886 

 68,420,000. Delivery of Ceylon Tea 1885, 3,218,000 

 1886., 6,245,000. 



The Home consumption of Indian and Ceylon Tea 

 has increased from 38 per cent of the whole in 1885 to 

 nearly 42 per cent in 1886 ; still the Home consumption 

 of all tea was less than iu 1885 — hence the increase 

 in these sorts was gained entirely at the expense of 

 China Tea, the Home consumption of which fell 9 mil- 

 lion p( uuds during the year. 

 Home Con- 

 sumption. 1882. 1883. 1884. 



China Tea, &c 114,461,000 111,685,000 110,843,000 



Ii.di.in aud 



Ceylon Tea 50,497,000 59,096,000 64.217,000 



All Tea 164,958,000 170,781,000 175.060,000 



1885. 1886. 



China Tea, &c., 113,514,000 104,2-26,000 



Indian & Cejlon Tea C8,895,(i00 74,665,0u0 



AU Tea 182,409000 178,891.000 



Export.— One effect of the low range otpnces has 

 been to draw the attention of various foreign markets 

 to the lower i;rades of whole leaf Indian Tea. The 

 export of the>e has been large, aud shows distinct 

 signs of extension. Another and very imp.rtivnt 

 cause of t'lis export demand is to be found in the 

 larger size of bn aks arrived during the present 

 season, — a matter which is of great import- 

 ance to shippers. It is probable that the small 

 breaks into which Indian Tea was until very re- 

 cently divided, had much to do with the slow pro- 

 gress of the export trade in previous years. The 

 exact quantity of ludiaa Tea exported cannot b© 



