30 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



SUGAR REVIEW. 



Especially written for The CUBA REVIEW by Willett & Gray, of New York. 



. Our last sugar review for your magazine was dated Feb. 6. 



At that time Cuba Centrifugals 96 test were 2 9/32c. c. & f. and 3.37c. per lb. 

 spot, and are now 2i^c. c. & f. and 3.82c. per lb. spot, showing the usual advance 

 from the lowest point of 2^c. c. & f., 3.61c. duty paid, which comes in the month 

 of February each year after the planters have disposed of sufficient production to 

 feel comfortable in the remainder. 



European markets have improved during the same time from 10s. for prompt 

 and 10s. 2^d. for May to 10s. 3^d. for prompt and 10s. 5^d. for ]\Iay Beet, the 

 parity of 4.18c. for 96 test Centrifugals or .36c. above our market. 



The difference has already closed up considerably from 50c. per 100 lbs. at the 

 greatest for this crop. The largest difference on last season's crop was 40c. per 

 100 lbs. 



Looking back over the past season, in its interests for Cuba, we note the Cuba 

 crop was 961,958 tons, so far below the requirements for consumption in the United 

 States (3,185,789 tons) that 684,625 tons full duty sugar was required to complete 

 consumption. We note that Java was the country to send us the largest amount, 

 say, 429,770 tons, and she could evidently compete with the rest of the sugar world 

 for the open business here by reason of her low cost of production. On this account, 

 also, Cuba will have to compete with Java, which will have over 400,000 tons surplus 

 crop for western markets for the supply of the reduced requirements of full duty- 

 paying sugar this season caused by the large Cuba and other crops and by the 

 imports late in the year following the granting of free duty to 300,000 tons of 

 Philippine sugar. 



Fortunately all signs point to a large increased consumption, both at home and 

 abroad, so that Europe can absorb its beet crops without our help. We have 

 already, in a previous number, given full particulars of the sugar trade of 1908, 

 which your charts of prices will complete, which was unusually satisfactory all over, 

 but we look for soon an increase of prosperity for Cuba and all sugar-producing 

 countries in 1909 campaign. 



On the 15th of March the new tariff bill will be made public. In meantime 



A cultivator carriage rigged up with a single tool, which is used to follow the fertilizer 

 machine and mix the soil and fertilizer before the seed cane is laid in the rows. 



Un carro cultivador armado con un solo utensilio, que se usa para seguir al esparcidor de abono 

 y para mezclar el suelo y el abono antes de poner la cana de semilla en las hileras. 



