Commercial and scientific notes on essential oils. 



25 



Citronella Oil from Java. — The Java export figures from January up to the end 

 of November 1921 have now been published as follows: — 



Holland 30373 kilos 



Great Britain. ... 8356 



Germany 10040 



France ...... 26331 



United States . . . 92118 



Singapore 8391 



China 8235 



Japan 64029 



Other countries . . 889 



1919 



1920 



233000 



124000 



91000 



75000 



69000 



80000 



6000 



— 



85000 



76000 



24000 



44000 



6000 



1000 



2000 



9000 



7000 



19000 



3000 



4500 



1000 





248762 kilos. 

 The exports in the last three years totalled: — 



1918 = 228000 kilos 



1919 = 528500 „ 



1920 = 434500 „ , 



the separate figures being: — 



Destination 1918 



Holland . — 



Great Britain — 



France . — 



Switzerland ...... — 



United States 84000 



Singapore . 46000 



Hong Kong $000 



China ........ 4000 



Japan ... 81 000 



Australia 1500 



Germany — 



Other countries .... 6000 



The low figures for Germany are explained by the fact that she had no direct 

 steamer connection with the Dutch Indies during the period referred to. Her real 

 consumption is contained in the figures given for Holland. 



Australia bought as long as there was little or no Ceylon oil available. Singapore 

 and Hong Kong are only places of transit. 



As it will be remembered, the total export of Java citronella oil was 426000 kilos 

 in 1916 and 515000 kilos in 1917. The diminution by nearly 300000 kilos in 1918 was 

 due to shipping difficulties, which were overcome only gradually in the course of 1919. 

 Since then the costs of production have risen considerably, owing to the upward 

 movement of the wages in 1919 and 1920. Besides, various factories of medium size 

 have become State property by repurchase or expropriation on account of older 

 claims and they have been closed, as such factories do not lend themselves to be 

 managed by the State. A somewhat correct estimate of the total production can only 

 be based on the average export figures of several years, the available data regarding 

 the area under cultivation being inaccurate. In competent quarters the average annual 

 production is estimated at 350000 kilos, for the distillation of which 60000 tons of 

 citronella grass would be required, supposing a yield of 0.6 per cent. The total 

 production in 1921 is stated to have been about 320000 kilos. 



Of the above-mentioned shipments of 248762 kilos for the time from January to 

 November 1921, only 82000 kilos were forwarded during the first six months, as the 

 prices then left very little profit. Business revived as soon as the market improved. 



