3 



nor is any form of beneficial cultivation practiced. The result of this neg- 

 lect is an inferior Copra poor in oil producing qualities. I am now 

 referring to Malay and Chinese owned estates which comprise practically 

 the whole industry. It is well known that European owned estates 

 produce Copra of the very highest quality, biit unfortunately, for their 

 owners, the poor quality determines the market price. 



Ceylon Copra obtains a better price chiefly because the large majority 

 of coconut estates there are owned by Europeans and under European 

 management and every care is taken to turn out Copra of first quality. 



The Pacific Islands Copra maintains it advantage in price prin- 

 cipally because Messrs. Lever Bros, and other well known soap manu- 

 factures have extensive interests there. They have representatives on 

 the spot who insist on first class Copra being supplied and in return 

 pay the highest price. 



The difference in price between good and bad Copra in Singapore 

 is about $1 per picul. The present price for first quality is about 

 $7.50. As the price rises it is customary for many native and Chinese 

 growers to resort to the injurious practice of rushing quantities of unripe 

 badly dried Copra on the market in order to catch the higher rate. 

 This is a practice which cannot be too strongly condemned. 



The principal sources of supply are Dutch Borneo, the Natunas and 

 Anambas Islands, Johore, the Malay Peninsula, and the Dutch Islands 

 generally. 



Singapore produces over 3,000 piculs of Copra per month chiefly 

 from Tanjong Katong and Passir Panjang. This, with the exception 

 of a small quantity from European estates, is badly dried and contains 

 a large percentage of unripe nut. 



Dutch Copra from Billeton and Banka is principally kiln-dried and 

 arrives clean, well dried and of good quality. 



That from Padang, Sumatra, is in small pieces well ripened, dry, 

 dark and oily in appearance and contains more oil than any other Copra 

 imported to Singapore. This is clue to careful cultivation and none but 

 well matured nuts being gathered. 



The Celebes give us a good Copra, well dried from fully matured 

 nuts, yields an excellent oil and shews careful preparation. 



Asahan exports fine large Copra, ripe and fairly well dried both by 

 sun and kiln. 



Pontianak produces dry Copra of fair quality containing a small 

 percentage of unripe nut. 



Saigon (Singkawang) Copra is of good quality, dry, and shews 

 careful preparation. 



Ternate Islands Copra is very good, generally dry. Kelantan 

 Copra is good but that from Johor, (Batu Pahat) is very wet, unripe 

 and mouldy. Khio sends good samples of Copra but occasionally the 

 quality cannot be depended on. 



I have recently seen shipments from Malacca and Muar which were 

 very bad indeed, in fact it is said that Copra from these two places is 

 the worst sent in to Singapore. In one store I saw several lots heat- 

 ing so badly that it was impossible to bear the hand between the sacks. 

 Quite half was unripe and little or no attempt had been made at drying. 

 I am informed on good authority that the quantity of bad Copra from 

 Malacca is steadily increasing. 



