COLLECTIVE SALE OF CEREALS 35 



These special co-operative societies are rather few, particularly when 

 compared with the many co-operative sale societies or co-operative soci- 

 eties conducting sales as part of their business. Unfortunately, we have not 

 yet the latest statistics relating to the subject: in any case, it is well to ob- 

 serve that, in this field, the actual figures have only a very relative value 

 and that, even taking into account the fairly important development of 

 the co-operative movement in Japan, the number of societies occupied al- 

 most exclusively with the sales of cereals cannot vary much. In 1910 we see 

 that while there were 2,627 co-operative societies eniaged in sale and other 

 business, there were only 20Q exclusively engaged in sale. Nor is this all. 

 The Department of Agriculture and Commerce of Tokio, after a very careful 

 enquiry into the organization of the sale of cereals completed early in 1913, 

 finds that of these sale societies few have been successful in the sale of 

 cereals. Indeed, the Department itself, in its report, after an examination 

 of the communications on the subject received from the local authorities 

 entrusted with the enquiry, states that only 16 had been able to conduct 

 the business successfully and gives abundant details of their working. 

 Before dealing with the constitution and work of a certain number of the 

 most important of these societies, we shall say a few words in regard to 

 their general constitution and business. 



These co-operative sale societies as a rule do not limit their operation 

 to the sale of cereals, but at the same time engage : 



1st. to keep the cereals in their warehouses up to the date when they 

 may be most profitably sold ; 



2nd. to subject the cereals to such treatment (hulHng, grinding etc.) 

 or to such sorting and packing as may facilitate their sale. 



The constitution of these societies and their work differs therefore 

 somewhat according to the kind of business they do. 



They may be grouped in three principal classes : co-operative societies 

 for credit and sale ; co-operative societies for production and sale ; co-op- 

 erative societies for production, credit and sale. 



In the co-operative societies of the first class there is a special sale 

 department, with suitable warehouses to receive the grain of their mem- 

 obers. The sale is made at request of the members, and, sometimes, 

 on the ( ecision of the manager of the society. The price is paid on 

 the completion of the sale. Sale may als o be effected after treatment 

 of the cereals (hulling, grinding etc.) From the purchase price the 

 society deducts, in addition to any cost for treatment, also its charges for 

 rent, storage, commissions etc. 



Besides these sale operations, the co-operative credit and sale societies 

 conduct credit business. They have, that is, a special office for this 

 business, which consists generally in loans or advances at low interest, 

 on the security of the deposits in the warehouse, and is repaid at the 

 moment of sale. 



In the societies of the second class (production and sale), sale is effected 

 in an exactly similar way. 



