272 



With the view of obstructing as much as possible the introduc- 

 tion of diease into the Island, an Ordinance has been passed em- 

 powering the Government to prohibit the importation of plants 

 from infected countries, or to require them to be fumigated on arri- 

 val, according to the necessities of the case. A small fumigating 

 chamber is about to be built at Kochchikada for the treatment of 

 imports. 



Tea has passed through a critical period. The year 1900 was 

 distinguished by an unusually favourable season for heavy flushing 

 in most of the Ceylon tea districts, and there appeared also to be a 

 prevalent belief that common teas were likely to find a good market. 

 The result was a total of shipments far in excess of the estimate, no 

 less than 149,264,602 lbs., or 19^ million pounds above the exports 

 in 1899. This heavy increase, more especially in tea of poor quality, 

 combined with large shipments from India, led to a rapid fall in the 

 average price, until towards the end of the year and during the first 

 half of the present year it approached a figure that could leave little 

 or no margin of profit io a certain proportion of the producers. For 

 a time production had overtaken consumption, checked as the latter 

 undoubtedly was, to some extent, in the United Kingdom, by the 

 Imperial War Tax of two pence additional per pound on our staple ; 

 and with large stocks the prospect before Ceylon and Indian 

 planters was at the opening of the present year by no means 

 bright. But the planters of Ce)lon, as in former crises, rose to the 

 occasion, and by plucking finer leaf and preparing a better quality 

 of tea have gradually circumscribed shipments and established a 

 standard for which a much better and improving average price is 

 now offered in the London market. The prospect then, at the 

 present moment, is by no means unfavourable to the Ceylon tea 

 planter Let us hope that the lesson has not been lost, and that 

 he has .learned how shortsighted it is to rush the home market with 

 large quantities of common tea, and how much wiser it is to en- 

 deavour, as far as possible, to make tea of good quality. Any 

 extension of planting being for the present stopped, it is improb- 

 able requirements of home and foreign markets. Further, let us 

 hope for an early termination to the troubles in South Africa and 

 for the consequent removal of the war levy on tea, followed by a 

 better progressive rate of consumption in the United Kingdom. In 

 regard to foreign markets, the progress made more especially in 

 Russia — continues to be satisfactory, and there is good reason to * 

 believe that the manufacture of pure green tea to suit the American 

 market will benefit the local industry. The record for the six years 

 so far as available mav be given as follows: — 



Increase on previous year. 



1896 - - 108,141,412 lbs. - - 10,000,000 lbs. 



1897 - - 116,054,567 „ - - 8,000,000 „ 



1898 - - 119,769,071 „ - - 3,700,000 „ 



1899 - - 129,894,156 ,, - - 10,000,000 „ 

 KjOO - - 149,264,602 „ - - 19,500,000 



1 90 1 (Estimate) 146,000,000 ,, - - Decrease. 



