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THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[July 1, 1915. 



Rubber Production in the Malayan Peninsula. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



IN its annual report for the twelve months ending March 31, 

 the Planters' Association of Malaya records "a marked ten- 

 dency for the premium on 'fine hard' over 'plantation' to 

 disappear, until the embargo on rubber exports from Great 

 Britain gave Para an advantage in American markets." 



The output of rubber from the whole Malayan Peninsula 

 amounted to 47,006 tons, which compares with previous years as 

 follows : 



tons 



1906 tons 430 



1907 885 



1908 1,629 



1909 3,340 



1910 6,504 



1011 tons 10,782 



1912 20,327 



1913 33.641 



1914 47,006 



The probable production of the Peninsula for 1915 is put at 

 61,800 tons. The figures relating to exports are equally inter- 

 esting, showing, as they do, a considerable increase in the direct 

 export of rubber from the Straits to America : 



To— 1913. 



United Kingdom tons 29,994 



Continent of Europe 1,654 



Ceylon 818 



America 2,703 



Other countries 522 



1914. 

 37,733 

 2,032 

 1,235 

 5,815 

 642 



47,475 



Total 35,691 



In this connection the report states that the Singapore mar- 

 ket steadily grows, 3,685 tons being disposed of at the 1914 

 auctions, against 1,695 tons in 1913, and 599 tons in 1912. Mak- 

 ing allowance for the terms of business, prices have compared 

 very fairly with London prices. Regular public auctions have 

 likewise been held at Penang, Malacca and inland towns. 

 AREAS PLANTED IN MALAYA. 



At the end of 1906 there were approximately 100,000 acres 

 planted with rubber in the Peninsula. Owing to the incomplete- 

 ness of returns from the various territories, it is not possible to 

 quote accurate statistics, but according to the most probable 

 estimate it is believed that the following list of annual plantings 

 will give an approximately correct view of the present extent 

 of the industry in British Malaya : 



acres 100.000 



76,000 



58,000 



56,000 



71.000 



1911 118,000 



1912 



1913 



1914 



Previously planted 



1907 



1908 



1909 

 1910 



Total 



83,000 



66,000 

 42.000 



670,000 



At present, further extensions are on a much more modest 

 scale, but they have by no means come to an end, capital raised 

 for this purpose being in some cases not yet fully expended, 

 while in others the application of profits to this end is relied 

 on to compensate for initial over-capitalization. 

 ROUGH AND READY VALUATION - . 



While more scientific methods of valuing rubber have not, 

 says the report, so far been adopted by the buyers, some nearer 

 approach has been made to a rough and ready standard, judged 

 by feel and appearance. "Standard crepe" and "Standard smoked 

 sheet" are now well understood terms, and in methods of manu- 

 facture to meet the demand for these grades there has been 

 steady improvement. Factory administration has likewise ad- 

 vanced in increased cleanliness of preparation and waste-saving 

 methods. Various new methods of curing have been intro- 

 duced and have met with more or less favor, but the great 

 majority of estates adhere to one or other of the above-named 

 forms for turning out their crop. In the market there has on the 

 whole been a preference shown for smoked sheet during the 

 past year. 



Referring to the prospective demand for the product, it is re- 

 marked that in the face of the cessation of a large proportion 

 of the demand for articles of luxury in rubber, the satisfactory 

 level of prices is plainly ascribable to its importance — imper- 

 fectly appreciated in advance — as a munition of war. Apart, 

 however, from the uses of motor traction in campaigning, the 

 war consumption of horse flesh has doubtless greatly stimulated 

 the employment of the mechanical vehicle for civilian purposes. 

 This latter should prove to be a permanent effect. 

 RUBBER AND THE WAR. 



Presiding at the annual meeting of the Java Amalgamated 

 Rubber Estates, Herbert Wright gave some interesting statistics 

 dealing with the present and future prospects of raw rubber. 

 He stated that as against a total crop of plantation rubber last 

 year of about 65,000 tons, this year there would be approxi- 

 mately 80,000 tons. Tapping would take place on all the areas 

 planted in rubber prior to and during 1909. The total area in 

 this category is 600,000 acres, calculated to produce this season 

 75,000 tons. A further 5,000 tons might be added on account of 

 areas planted early in 1910. America, he said, would take this 

 year a tonnage of raw rubber equivalent to the whole of the 

 plantation output (80,000 tons). America had always been the 

 biggest importer and for years in succession had taken more 

 plantation and less wild rubber. American activity in raw rubber 

 was the real index of the market, and the increased import by 

 that country this year was in accordance with anticipations. For 

 the last three years the rubber imported by the United States 

 was, in round figures, 40,000, 50,000 and 60,000 tons; so that the 

 figures of 80,000 tons for this year was only slightly above the 

 normal annual increase. This year we had already exported, 

 during four months only, nearly 15.000 tons to the United States, 

 and it was common knowledge that Eastern centers had added to 

 this total. At this rate America would take, during the present 

 year, 10,000 more tons of plantation rubber than she did last 

 year. Estimating 80,000 tons for America, the balance in ton- 

 nage of the world's production, about 45,000 tons, could be ap- 

 portioned according to fancy among European and Far Eastern 

 countries. Even this country could take almost half the balance. 

 Assuming that the war continued, there would not be sufficient 

 rubber to go round, and steady, if not advancing, prices could be 

 assured. Even without war this would have been a year when 

 production would not have kept pace with the normal increase in 

 consumption. 



AFTER THE WAR. 



Assuming for the sake of argument that the war would be 

 over in 1916, Mr. Wright asked, "What would be the position 

 afterwards?" Up to 1910 there was planted in the Middle East 

 approximately 750.000 acres, and this should yield about 100,000 

 tons in 1916. In 1911 a further 200,000 acres were planted, from 

 which 10,000 to 20,000 tons might be obtained in 1916. His total 

 estimate of plantation rubber for 1916 was, therefore, from 110,000 

 to 120,000 tons. This production was based upon the asssumption 

 that price and labor remained satisfactory; if prices or labor 

 conditions were unfavorable, the estimate would not be reached. 

 Plantation rubber w-as the only variety that could show an in- 

 crease this or next year. Africa and Brazil together could cer- 

 tainly not exceed their average output, and wild rubber might, 

 for their purposes, be estimated for 1916 at 45,000 tons; giving a 

 total production of from 155,000 to 165,000 tons for the year. 



Prior to the war the importance of the various countries was, 

 in terms of consumption, — first America, then the United King- 

 dom, followed by Germany, Russia, France. Austro-Hungary, 

 Italy and Japan. Though America consumed as much as all 



