CHAPTER IV 

 IMPORTANCE OF TROPICAL PRODUCTS IN COMMERCE 



The importance of tropical agricultural products is often 

 little realized even by persons who use or consume these prod- 

 ucts daily. This is perhaps partly due to the fact that aside 

 from fruits the products come to the consumer as finished 

 manufactured articles and bring with them no hint of their 

 tropical origin. There is nothing, for example, suggestive 

 of the Tropics in rubber bands, chewing gum, gunny bags, 

 binding twine for harvesters, and chocolate candy. Neverthe- 

 less, the essential constituents of all of these products come 

 exclusively from tropical countries. There are a few tropical 

 products which have recently assumed much commercial im- 

 portance, particularly in the United States. It is reported, 

 for example, that the inhabitants of this country spend more 

 than $io,cxx),ooo annually on chewing gum, the basis for which 

 is chicle, a strictly tropical product. 



With tropical fruits the case is somewhat different. The 

 most casual observer recognizes at once the foreign and tropi- 

 cal character of the avocado, papaya, mango, mangosteen, cus- 

 tard apple, and various other tropical fruits which occasionally 

 find their way to the markets of colder climates. All the 

 world has become familiar with citrus fruit, bananas, and 

 pineapples. The other tropical fruits are less familiar to the 

 inhabitants of cold climates and their ultimate commercial im- 

 portance in cold climates is still somewhat uncertain. Avo- 

 cados are generally relished even upon first acquaintance. 

 This is not always true, however, and many persons fail to 

 acquire a liking for them even after long acquaintance. Simi- 



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