September i, 1884,] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



197 



YIELD, PRICES AND PROFITS OF INDIA 



TEA ESTATES. 

 The Home and Colonial Mail contains interesting 

 reports of the annual meetings of three Indian Tea 

 Companies, viz., 

 The Jhaozie Tea Association, Limited, 

 The Lebong Tea Company, Limited, and 

 The Land Mortgage Bank of India, Limited. 

 Regarding the first the Chairman stated that 

 Although the quality of the tea was better than in the 

 previous year, it was not by any means so good as the 

 management would like to 6ee it, or indeed bo good as it 

 was in 1881. The cause of this laid in the unfavourable 

 character of the weather experienced last season in Assam, 

 the tea suffering in consequence Another serious point to 

 be noted was the falling-off in the outturn, which like- 

 wise was to be attributed to the adverse weather that had 

 prevailed. These, of course, were circumstances over which 

 the managing agents could not exercise any control. He 

 was however, happy to be able to add that they had good 

 ground for looking forward to obtaining tea of a better 

 quality and a larger outturn during the current twelve- 

 month. The proprietors would have already seen from 

 the report the sad news that had just come to hand con- 

 cerning the death of 85 coolies from cholera, and although 

 that number of hands had been replaced by local labor 

 which had been supplied free of cost, a loss of rive thousand 

 rupees had fallen on the Company in consequence. That 

 again was a matter over which it was impossible for the 

 management to exercise any control. The expenditure on 

 buildings and machinery had during the last three years 

 been very heavy. Judging from the plans lying on the 

 table of the withering house, the tea house and other 

 departments the proprietors would he thought agree with 

 him that the Company's buildings had been brought into 

 a very perfect condition. 



Our readers will thus see that to meteorological con- 

 ditions in Assam, over which those in charge of the 

 estates had no control, were due the impaired quality 

 and decreased quantity of tea-yield. The present 

 year has shown, that, even in Ceylon, those interested 

 in tea estates must be prepared for the unfavour- 

 able effects of abnormal weather, and must, in such 

 case, follow the good example of the Jtnrjzie Associ- 

 ation Chairman who held the managers blameless. 

 Blameless also, of course, he held them for the pro- 

 vidential visitation of cholera, which had lessened the 

 labour force of the estates by 85 coolies, the replacing 

 of whom led to an extra expenditure of B5,000. 

 This is a form of casualty to which estates in Ceylon 

 are not likely to be subjected. There was the prospect 

 of better tea and more of it next season, and, mean- 

 time, the estates had been supplied with a first-rate 

 tea-house and improved machinery. As these were 

 supplied out of revenue, our readers will see the 

 unreasonableuess of the complaints which were subse- 

 quently made regarding the amount of dividend. A 

 new tea-house and new machinery ought properly to 

 be changed against the capital account. Shar, holders 

 cannot have the improvements and the money (well 

 laid out) which they cost. The Chairman proceeded 

 to discuss the probable future of the teaenteiprize after 

 a fashion which is as interesting to us here in Cey- 

 lon as it cm be to our competitors in Assam or 

 Darjiling : — 



Those present being all more or less acquainted with the 

 subject in baud, it was unnecessary to do more than 

 briefly mention that in his opinion that they were ou 

 the i • of considerable changes in the fa ,.,j ne 



was afraid they must look forward to somewhat low 

 drices if what wr.s reported conceruiw.' the advent of „« 



eported concerning the advent of new 



supplies from Ceylon, Java and China proved correct. 

 The only hopo lay in increased consumption, and unless 

 that took place to some considerable extent they must pre- 

 pare _ themselves for the receipt of lower prices for Indian 

 tea in the future. Under these circumstances it behoved 

 everyone connected with the industry to reduce as far as 

 possible the cost of making tea, for it was only by 

 placing the article on the market at a low price that its 

 consumption could be forced. The deliveries of tea for 

 May were larger than any ever known in this country — 

 exceeding 6,000,000 lb. Now if that rate of consumption, 

 could be maintained they might rely on finding a fair mar- 

 ket for all their produce, otherwise a fall of Jd to Id per 

 lb. must be looked forward to. 



A wise economy must be enforced, and there can be 

 uo wiser economy than that of supplying good tea- 

 houses with the very best appliances for witheriug 

 and the most perfect machinery for rolling, drying 

 and sifting the tea. The experience of the Assam 

 Company recently quoted by as shows that the intro- 

 duction of improvements in preparation enabled 

 them to meet and obviate the effects of a fall iu 

 price equal to 50 per cent. At this meeting the low 

 rate per ; ere (370 lb.) and the heavy cost of making 

 the tea (Is ljd or Is lgd) were subjects of complaint, 

 but we have already noticed that a tea-house and 

 machinery had been provided. Mr. Tye said: 



Compared with the companies mentioned, it seemed~that 

 they had made the lowest amount per acre — viz., 370 lb 

 against 390 lb. by the Dejoo and 395 lb. by the Borelli.' 

 The Scottish Assam, which made the same out-turn as this 

 company— 370 lb. weight per acre— showed a lower rate 

 of cost— viz. lid per lb. as against their Is lfd. The Bor- 

 elli showed a cost of 10^1 and the Dejoo, lid. 



Mr. Tye, went on to say that in view of the fact that 

 their tea had cost so much to produce, it was only natural 

 to suppose that they would get a corresponding benefit in 

 the price realized by the tea. The Scottish Assam costing 

 lid. had realized Is 4|d as against their Is 2d— a very 

 serious difference. He" further noted that their local cost 

 was very excessive compared with that of other gardens— 

 a fact that would explain probably how it was their tea 

 cost more in London than that of the companies he had 

 mentioned. 



Mr. O. Hudson pointed out that in estimating the ex- 

 penditure of this company, account should be taken of the 

 exceptional cost incurred in respect of labour and also as 

 regards buildings and machinery, all of which expenses had 

 been charged against revenue. 



Mr. Tye said the figures were yet more striking if they 

 took the profit per acre realized from pure tea and com- 

 pare it with that of other companies. The Jhanzie showed 

 a return of £2 lis 3d, the Dejoo of £6, the Borelli of 

 £7 17s per acre. Having regard to these figures there was 

 he thought plenty of room for improvement iu their position. 

 At the same time it was satisfactory to observe that upon 

 the whole a better result had been obtained this year 

 than the year before. 



Mr. Lawrie (of Alex. Lawrie & Co., Managing Agents) 

 said that the comparison instituted by the last speaker 

 was scarcely fair, seeing that the Dejoo garden had had 

 an exceptionally good season, while moreover the accounts 

 were kept iu a totally different manner to that adopted 

 by this Company. At very considerable expense this es- 

 tate had been brought up to a high pitch of perfection 

 and (he cost of everything in the shape of new buildings 

 ami plant had been charged against revenue. Then as to 

 the Borelli estate he could not speak very fully or de- 

 finitely, but this much he might mention on good authority 

 that it was one of the best and most easily managed es- 

 tates in India. In view of these facts a simple comparison 

 was m arcelv fair. 



f 



Differences, such as these mentioned, of superiority 

 of posi.iou and the mode of keeping accounts, must 

 be allowed for in Ceylon as well as in India, 

 finally resolved, at the meeting we are referring to, that 

 Iu new of the possible lower value of Indian tea, eug« 



