34 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



such conditions the Government have rescinded their intentions in regard to limiting 

 the sugar acreage in favor of rice and other foodstuffs, and it is now expected that 

 the Java crop commencing in May, 1920, will again reach figures approximating 

 1,500,000 tons. Press reports state that an eruption of a volcano had caused a severe 

 loss of life and some of the reports state that in 1901 a preceding eruption had de- 

 stroyed the sugar crop. We have no record of any damage to any Java crop about 

 the period mentioned; in fact, the Java crop of 1901 showed an increase of G0.00O 

 tons over the preceding one, the former outturning 767,130 tons, while the crop of 1902 

 outturned 842,812 tons. 



Cable advices from England to us state that the Government of the United King- 

 dom has announced a preference of 1/6 (16 2/3%) on all British Colonial sugars 

 imported into the United Kingdom. The duty now assessed on 96° test raws is 

 22s 4%d (4.88c per lb.), and on refined and raws over 9S°, 25s 8d (5.60c per lb.). 

 The United Kingdom has never previously allowed a concession in duty to any of its 

 Colonies. Home grown sugar (beet) during the war was assessed an internal revenue 

 tax somewhat less than the duties mentioned above. However, the beet industry in 

 England languished during the war period and no sugar was produced. 



There is little else of interest in our market here. The quotations for raw sugars 

 remain unchanged on the basis of 5.88c c. & f. for Cubas and 9c less 2% for cash 

 for granulated sugar. The demand for the latter has been very heavy, both for 

 domestic use and for export, and all our refiners are now delayed, in some cases as 

 much as two to four weeks. Beet sugars of the 1918-19 crop are being gradually with- 

 drawn from the Eastern markets, as the available supply of sugar diminishes. 



New York, N. Y., May 31st, 1919. 



SUGAR PRODUCTION IN NICARAGUA 

 The prospects of an increased produc- 

 tion of sugar during the 1919 season over 

 that of 1918 are not encouraging. Al- 

 ready some of the centrals have discov- 

 ered that the sugar content of the cane 

 is below the standard, and this they at- 

 tribute to the lack of rain during the 

 proper season. However, owing to the 

 slightly larger acreage devoted to cane, 

 it is estimated that the production this 

 season will equal that of 1918, or ap- 

 proximately 240,000 quintals, or 24,000,- 

 000 pounds. 



In 1918, 137.2S1 quintals or 13,728,167 

 pounds of sugar were exported, the value 

 being placed at $742,067. Mexico im- 

 ported more than 100,000 quintals of this 

 crop; Canada, 20.000 quintals; Panama 

 and other countries, smaller quantities, 

 very little being taken by the United 

 States. 



In 1917, only 64,000 quintals or 6,404,226 

 pounds valued at $231,796 were exported, 

 More than two-thirds of this was absorbed 



by the United States ; the remainder by 

 Canada and other countries. 



In consequence of the high export price 

 resulting from the keen competition be- 

 tween purchasers of Mexico and Canada, 

 there prevailed a great scarcity of sugar 

 in Nicaragua during the latter part of 

 1918, not a sufficient quantity having been 

 retained for local consumption. Natural- 

 ly the price was abnormally high in many 

 sections, retailers demanding as much as 

 15 cents a pound. 



The government has issued a decree 

 which is to prevent a recurrence of the 

 scarcity of sugar and the accompanying 

 high prices. Each central is required to 

 notify the Minister of Finance daily of 

 its production, and no central or producer 

 of sugar is allowed to export, or sell for 

 export, unless under license from the Min- 

 ister of Finance. In this way the Govern- 

 ment expects to retain a quantity sufficient 

 to meet the public demand. It is esti- 

 mated that the Nicaraguan public con- 

 sumes 100,000 quintals of sugar annually. 

 — Consul A. J. McGonnico, Corinto. 



