VIII 



PEPPERS 



EXPORTS 



295 



Borneo. Pepper is extensively cultivated in 

 Sarawak. Indeed it is the most important crop in 

 that country. The cultivation is entirely in the hands 

 of the Chinese, and the area of the cultivation very 

 large. We have, however, no actual figures. 



In British North Borneo, it is now only grown for 

 local consumption, the low price (1910) having killed 

 the export trade. One Chinaman has some hundreds of 

 acres under pepper, but the poor markets have caused 

 him to neglect the cultivation. 



In 1908, 385'58 piculs of the value of 4,584 dollars, 

 and in 1909, 417'55 piculs valued at 4,742 dollars were 

 exported. 



Siam. Pepper, next to rice and teak, is the principal 

 product of export from Siam. In 1893, 1,175 tons 

 were exported, a little less than that exported in the 

 previous year. The price that year fell, ranging from 

 22 ticals a picul (30s. lOd. a ton) for white, and 16 to 

 10 ticals (22s. 3d. to 13s. 7d. per ton) for black. 



In 1888 it sold for 88 dollars a ton. The profits 

 were made by Chinese middlemen who bought the stand- 

 ing crops. The pepper sold at Bangkok comes from 

 Chantabun. It is gathered in March, and sold at 

 Bangkok in April. When the fruit is picked, it is 



