138 



The average cost of producing sugar by the present process in Xegros 

 is estimated as approximately the following: 



Plowing, planting, and caring for the cane until it is 



ready to cut 



Cutting the cane 



Carting cane to the mill 



Grinding the cane and manufacture of sugar 



Shipping to Iloilo and marketing there 



Total fixed expenses, including 10 per cent deprecia- 

 tion and 10 per cent interest on the capital invested.. 



Total . 



Cost per 

 picul of 

 sugar. 



Pesos. 

 0.60 

 .16 

 .16 

 .63 

 .53 



2.07 



Cost per 

 metric ton 

 of sugar. 



Pesos. 

 9.49 

 2.53 

 2.53 

 9.96 

 8.38 



32. 72 



A few possibilities for improvement are suggested, the chief among 

 them being the substitution of modern methods of manufacture. It is 

 shown that the average planter could by selling his cane to a central 

 factory earn a somewhat larger profit from it than by manufacturing 

 it into sugar himself under the present method, the difference in profit 

 being much more marked with inferior than with very rich and pure 

 cane. The greatest benefit to the planter under the modern system 

 would result from his being thereby rendered independent of manufac- 

 turing details and largely of weather conditions^ so that he would be 

 enabled to operate on a much smaller working capital and at the same 

 time secure Ijetter results from his land. 



The annual limits of sugar production in Negros during the next 

 fifteen years may be estimated at about 220,000 metric tons of low-grade 

 sugar under the present system of manufacture or 500,000 metric tons 

 of 96° centrifugal sugar if a complete change should be made to modern 

 methods of manufacture. The larger production under the modern sys- 

 tem would be due not so much to a greatly increased yield as to the 

 stimulus to the industry in general and consequent improvement in 

 cultural methods which would follow in its train. 



