THE CUB A RE VIEW 25 



Sugar Production Is Most Important Industry 



By far the most important industry in Cuba is the production and marketing of 

 sugar and its by-products, which are molasses, rum, alcohol, etc., representing a total 

 value of over $910,000,000 for the 1919-20 season and $405,000,000 for the season ot 

 1920-21. Next in importance comes the growing of tobacco and the manufacture of 

 cigars and cigarettes. The average annual production of tobacco runs from 400,000 to 

 600,000 bales of from 100 to 120 pounds each, a considerable portion of which is con- 

 sumed locally. Other important products include fruits, vegetables, coffee, cattle, copper, 

 iron and manganese. 



The sugar industry is the backbone of Cuban commerce, and the prosperity of the 

 country is dependent on the successful marketing of this crop and its by-products. 

 Anything that tends to interfere with the sugar industry at once affects practically every 

 other industry and business in the island. The statistics published annually by the Cuban 

 Government in the Industria Azucarera y Sus Derivados are of importance and interest, 

 furnishing very complete figures showing production, exportation and importation ot 

 sugar and its by-products, as well as importations of machinery and other articles 

 required by the industry. Export and import figures are for fiscal years ending June 30 

 and production figures are for entire seasons. The values given in the case of production 

 are based on those declared for exportation of the class of product concerned. 



Statistics or the Sugar Industry 



1919-20 1920-21 



Articles Quantity Value Quantity Value 

 Production : 



Sugar, long tons 3,758,347 $886,106,314 3,974,116 $389,448,766 



Molasses, gallons 183,544,070 5,403,218 205,256,252 4,813,117 



Brandy, gallons 11,436,557 8,622,424 1,865,173 1,641,558 



Alcohol, gallons 11,993,152 10,090,162 9,663,947 9,720,081 



Total 910,222,118 405,623,522 



Exportation: 

 Sugar — 



Raw, long tons 4,224,383 776,268,775 2,281,932 338,738,281 



Refined, long tons 11,339 2,781,178 1,251 315,855 



Molasses, gallons 158,577,976 4,796,697 97,143,776 2,725,473 



Confectionery, pounds 1,313,543 193,690 875,346 143,312 



Brandy, gallons 2,069,342 992,682 1,875,644 1,374,863 



Alcohol, gallons 1,008,309 739,871 1,684,061 1,415,867 



Rum, gallons 84,787 132,994 68,127 111,631 



Other distilled products, gallons 86,842 59,316 9,230 8,626 



Total 785,965,203 344,833,908 



Importation : 



Sugar sacks, kilos 31,377,888 11,074,931 29,627,860 7,693,334 



Sugar machinery, kilos 17,488,777 34,826,568 



Sugar — 



Raw, pounds 18,529 2,106 



Refined, pounds 46,835 9,504 5,053,909 517,637 



Glucose, pounds 1,600,610 93,261 1,725,905 100,598 



Saccharin, pounds 3,615 13,900 11,526 40,438 



Alcohol, gallons 136 241 654 811 



Total 28,680,614 43,181,492 



During the period 1862 to 1871 the average Cuban sugar production amounted to 

 598,400 tons, as compared with 632,000 tons for 1872 to 1881, 629,949 tons for 1882 

 to 1891, 582,529 tons for 1892 to 1901, 1,257,527 tons for 1902-1911, and 3,109,906 tons 

 for the last decade, 1912-1921. The following excerpt from Industria Azucarera y Sus 

 Derivados shows the annual Cuban production of sugar in long tons of 2,240 pounds 

 during the ten years, 1912 to 1921: 



