INDIA AND CEYLON 



India and 

 Oeylon. 



Most Recent 

 lie turns. 



CAMELLIA 



THEA 



Trade 



labour could accomplish, cheapened production, and with this 

 e a rapidly increasing demand. The freedom from adulteration and 

 urity, incidental to all Asiatic hand labour, also tended to enhance the 

 iv, MI ion of the Indian tea in European markets, and with that success 

 the downfall of the Chinese trade. In 1859 China supplied England Chines Tde. 

 with 70 million pounds of tea, and in 1880-1 with 175 million pounds. In 

 1 nlia commenced to export insufficient quantity to justify the traffic 

 bring recorded separately. In that year the United Kingdom obtained 

 i)00 Ib. of tea from India. A decade later the coffee industry of 

 n began to show signs of the ruin that finally overtook it. Profiting Oeylon started, 

 the experience and knowledge gained in India, Ceylon planters aban- 

 ' offee and took to tea, and to-day Ceylon is India's chief competitor 

 t he tea markets of the world. In 1875-6 the exports from Ceylon were 

 Ib. valued at 180, while the Indian of that year were 24,361,599 Ib. 

 ued at 1,444,278. In 1885-6 the Ceylon exports became 7,851,562 

 val-.'d at 382,996, and the Indian 69,666,000 Ib. valued at 3,298,000. 

 1895-6 the Ceylon exports were 110,095,000 Ib. valued at 3,075,000, 

 the Indian 142,080,000 Ib. valued at 4,682,000. Five years later 

 the corresponding figures were : Ceylon exports, 149,265,000 Ib. 

 ued at 3,582,000, and Indian, 176,387,000 Ib. valued at 6,118,000. 

 way of comparison it may be added that the total exports from China 

 1900 were 184,533,000 Ib. valued at 3,949,000, and Japan, 61,028,000 

 valued at 1,406,000; the world's increasing demands were thus met 

 India and Ceylon mainly. This may be still further exemplified by later 

 is drawn from the report issued by the Commercial Intelligence De- 

 ment of the Government of India for 1906. The total exports by sea 

 land routes for that year came to 236,731,623 Ib. from India and 

 |,527,146 Ib. from Oeylon, while from China came 108,864,534 Ib. black 



green tea, with 79,506,133 Ib. brick, tablet and dust. . 



Prices Realised. During the later years of the period indicated Prices, 

 these returns the price paid for Indian tea fell from I3'33d. to S'32d. 

 Ib. in 1900 ; for Ceylon from 11 -63d. to 5'40of. per Ib. ; for China from 

 '. to 5'14c?. per Ib. ; and for Japan from 1'lld. to 5'53d. per Ib. Thus, 

 ile India has maintained her position as the leading producing country, India Leads. 



has also preserved, in a remarkable degree, her supremacy in quality 

 d price. Indian teas fetch the highest average price in the world, 

 jressed to head of population (census of 1900), the consumption of tea 

 interesting, and throws a flood of light on the influences that have led to 



world's increased consumption of tea. The list is headed by Western Consumption 

 ustralia, 10-07 Ib. per head of population ; South Australia, 8-87 Ib. ; fc 

 'nited Kingdom, 8'44 Ib. ; New South Wales, 8*01 Ib. ; Victoria, 7 -38 

 Queensland, 7'09 Ib. ; New Zealand, 6'78 Ib. ; Tasmania, 6'62 Ib. ; 

 da, 4-29 Ib. ; Holland, 1'48 Ib. ; United States, M4 Ib. ; Russian 

 ipire, 0-93 Ib. ; German Empire, 0'13 Ib. ; and France, 0-05 Ib. Thus 

 dia and Ceylon owe their prosperous tea trades, primarily, to the de- 

 nds of Great Britain and her Colonies, but the low prices that have Great Britain 

 ently prevailed have led to great efforts being made to open out new oofon\. 

 markets, and these are held to have been so successful that the average 

 price has improved. The relief afforded, moreover, by the endeavour to 

 produce and sell green tea may also be said to have considerably strength- Owen Tea. 

 ened the position of the Indian planter, so that it is thought there is now 

 no longer any fear of supply outrunning demand. 



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