288 



DATE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN BENGAL. 



In 1849, 10,000 tons or 1/5 of the whole annual quantity 

 exported from India to England was date sugar. 1 



Between 1858 and 1876 the only figures relating to the pro- 

 duction of date sugar which we have been able to find, refer only to 

 the Jhenidah and Magurah sub-divisions of Jessore. These are quite 

 sufficient to show that during that period the industry was growing 

 with great rapidity. The table 2 shows the number of native 

 refineries at work in these sub-divisions during the years 1861-73 

 with their outturn in refined sugar in tons. 



In 1873, the Jhenidah and Magurah sub-divisions of Jessore alone 

 produced 16,000 tons of gur of which 8,000 tons were refined by 

 native methods. 3 



The reports on the internal trade of Bengal, issued in 1876-77 

 and 1881-82, give figures showing how rapidly the industry was 

 growing at that time. The table shows the exports of sugar from 

 various districts in 1875-76 and 1876-77 in maunds. 



Jessore 

 Nuddea 

 24-Parganas 



1 Robinson's Prize Essay, page 191. 



2 Report on the Agric. Statistics of Jessore, Jhenidah and M-iguraii auo-a- visions, 1872-73, 

 by Babu Ramshunkcr Sen, Calcutta, 1873. 



3 Loc. cit. 



