ARACHIS 



OIL AND OIL-CAKE HYPOO>EA 



Trade 



transactions. It would thus seem that to some extent at least this may 

 a. -count for the outcry regarding a decline in the Madras traffic. It is 

 in. .iv than probable, however, that the prevalence of disease in the crop 

 and the cxrrptionallv unfavourable seasons of 1897-8 and 1899 (during 

 li irli the rams failed at the sowing season and the prices of foodstuffs rose 

 account of famine) directly decreased the available area of production. Famine. 



ate of affairs was not peculiar to the earth-nut but marked the 

 (lie in all other oil-seeds. Such a condition might easily enough be 

 ed to accentuate the knowledge, if such existed, of the inferiority 

 the Indian as compared with certain other well-known commercial oil- 

 vit-ltling stocks, until the opinion might have been formed that a deterio- 

 ral ion of the Indian nut had occurred. While such deterioration may have 

 n taking place, it is a matter of history that the increasing imports 

 to Europe of improved cotton-seed oil from the United States and Effect of 

 idia gradually displaced ground-nut and other oils from some of their 

 rkets and thus tended to lower the prices offered for them. Be the ex- 

 nation what it may, the new seed, presently being eagerly sought after 

 the Indian cultivators, has aready given tokens of being much superior 

 the old stock, and, as a possible result of this as also a consequence of the 

 turn of more prosperous seasons, the area of production has greatly 

 creased . 



Exports. The following figures may here be given in manifestation Foreign 

 I the past and present Foreign Exports of Ground-nuts from India : In Exports. 

 894-5 the total exports were 2,267,222 cwt., of which Bombay contri- 

 ted 1,598,387 cwt. Taking the subsequent years and for convenience 

 itting the last three figures, the corresponding trade returns were for 

 1895-6, total 1,118 cwt. and Bombay's share 796 cwt. ; for 1896-7 they 

 stood at 486 and 238 cwt. ; for 1897-8 at 44 and 19 cwt. ; for 1898-9 

 at 87 and 76 cwt. ; for 1899-1900 at 155 and 23 cwt. ; for 1900-1 at 232 

 nd 29 cwt. ; for 1901-2 at 1,085 and 98 cwt. ; 1902-3 at 1,035 and 52 

 1903-4 at 1,921 and 91 cwt. ; 1904-5 at 1,674 and 42 cwt. ; 1905-6 

 ,t 1,374 and 149 cwt. ; and 1906-7 at 1,725 and 130 cwt. It will thus 

 observed that a serious drop in the trade took place in 1896-7 and 

 me accentuated in 1897-8, since which date a revival has gradually 

 set in, but mainly in the Madras supply, the Bombay exports being now 

 >nly a small proportion of the former magnitude. In 1906-7, however, the 

 dras supply decreased to 1,350,096 cwt. from 1,827,243 cwt. (in 1903-4), 

 hile the Bombay supply increased from 42,408 cwt. to 130,356 cwt. 



Internal Traffic. The returns of the traffic by rail and river show Internal 

 at the chief movement is from the Presidency of Madras into its port Traffic. 



and thus to meet the foreign exports. Of the total amount carried 

 by these routes in 1906-7 (viz. 1,733,123 cwt.) Madras ports alone took 

 1,476,198 cwt. 



Trade In Oil and Cake. The oil maybe obtained by cold expression oil. 

 or by moderate heat. The former process affords the best oil but in Methods^ 

 smaller quantity than the latter. The cold-pressed oil is almost Expression. 

 colourless, has an agreeably faint odour and a taste not unlike that 

 of olive oil. That obtained by the hot process is dark yellow and has 

 a more or less disagreeable taste and smell. Although the oil does 

 not turn rancid so quickly as most Indian oils, on exposure it slowly 

 thickens and then becomes rancid. It is a non-drying oil, the best 

 qualities of which have a sp. gr. of about 0'918 at 15 C. when fresh, and 



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