242 CACAO 



It was Humboldt who estimated that in 1806 the entire 

 European consumption of cacao only amounted to 

 20,000,000 lb. annually, of which nearly one half was 

 consumed in Spain. There has been, however, an enormous 

 increase in the production and consumption since that 

 time, more especially in the last fifteen years. In 1894 

 the world's production amounted to about 142,000,000 lb. 

 By 1903 this quantity had doubled, and in 1909 it was 

 452,000,000 lb., or 3^ times as much as in 1894. The 

 chart of production of cacao on the preceding page gives in 

 millions of pounds the quantities produced by the leading 

 countries in 1909. There is no way of ascertaining the 

 amount consumed locally in producing countries, and, 

 therefore, these quantities represent the amount exported, 

 or practically the quantities of cacao entering into inter- 

 national trade. 



The consumption of cacao has also increased rapidly, 

 until in 1909 it reached 427,000,000 lb. The stock on 

 hand at the end of 1909 amounted to 195,000,000 lb., 

 against 173,000,000 lb. at the end of 1908, and 100,000,000 

 lb. at the end of 1907, showing that while consumption is 

 increasing rapidly it has not kept pace with the increased 

 production of the last two years. 



In some of the newly developed cacao-producing regions 

 new plantations are being started annually, and, as these 

 come into bearing, the quantities produced will continue 

 to increase, so that it is an important question for both 

 planters and consumers as to whether future constmiption 

 will keep pace with the probably enormous increase in 

 production. 



From the chart of consumption, which is given on page 

 244, it is readily seen that the United States leads all other 

 nations in the imports of cacao for consumption. In the 

 calendar year 1909 the United States imported 23,000,000 

 lb. more than in 1908. During the fiscal year ending 

 June 30, 1909, the latest for which complete statistics are 

 available, the United States imported 129,854,000 lb. 

 The British West Indies led in imports into that country, 



