THE CUBA REVIEW 31 



THE SUGAR INDUSTRY OF CUBA 



It is indeed fortunate for Culja that the disastrous effects of the European conflict and 

 other conditions ujion the tobacco industry of the RepubUc are more than offset by the very 

 material prosperity which the war has brought to the sugar industry, sugar and tobacco being 

 the island's two great staples. The compensation is such that Cuba is to-day, generally 

 speaking, in a most satisfactory economic condition. 



The sugar production of the island in the present year should, with anything like normally 

 favorable weather conditions, exceed greatly any previous crop, as the increase in cane plant- 

 ings has been enormous. Lands in the western section of the Republic that have been idle for 

 203'earsor more, as well as thousands of acres which have been devoted to >ucca, bananas, 

 tobacco and other crops, are this year planted to cane. In the eastern Provinces of Cama- 

 guey and Oriente, immense tracts of virgin lands have gone under the plow for cane plant- 

 ings. (Willett & Gray's September 9th estimate of the 1914-15 Cuban sugar yield is 2,600,000 

 long tons, against a i)roduction of 2,597,732 long tons in 1913-14 and 2,428,537 tons in 

 1912-13). 



Planters and sugar manufacturers have perfect confidence in the continuance of satisfac- 

 tory prices for a long period, though a few hold pessimistic views as to a possible reaction after 

 the close of the war. 



Exports of Sugar and Products. 



The statistical section of the treasury department of Cuba has recently made public some 

 interesting figures in connection with the sugar industry and two of the numerous tables con- 

 tained in its publication, "Industrial Azucarera y sus Derivadas," are reproduced below. In 

 the first table are given the exports of crude sugar from Cuba and the countries of destination 

 in 1913 and 1914. 1913 1914 



Sugar and Products Quantity Quantity 



Tons Value Toyis Value 



Crude sugar 2,411,188 $122,388,062 2,454,334 $130,413,769 



United States 2,129,748 107,975,360 2,164,621 116,479,869 



United Kingdom 240,870 12,598,817 231,541 10,910,416 



France 12,077 514,155 26,532 1,433,299 



Japan 19,233 982,124 



Canada 23,528 1,088,003 6,724 303,389 



Belgium 146 6,500 4,365 223,935 



Netherlands 4,774 204,730 1,154 72,250 



Gallons Gallons 



Molasses 60,982,650 2,027,596 84,652,997 2,445,500 



United States 42,382,685 1,277,025 62,367,741 1,516,937 



United Kingdom 17,157,409 718,121 20,830,256 884,913 



Netherlands 1,440,000 30,000 1,455,000 43,650 



Alcohol 219,478 52,781 173,931 32,684 



Aguardiente 1,935,546 365,340 1,845,976 325,806 



Rum 387,556 95,351 202,336 67,876 



Foreign Supplies — Nationality of Planters. 



The influence of Cuba's sugar industry upon the island's import trade is seen in the large 



annual purchases of foreign sacks and valuable machinery and apparatus. The imports of 



these during the past two years totaled: 



Articles and sources 1913 1914 



Bags 13,059,053 $3,100,916 



United States 1,216,490 935,759 



British India 1,002,479 1,117,863 



United Kingdom 835,394 1,000,796 



Mexico 32,892 



Germany 4,220 13,608 



