188 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



THE RUBBER MARKET DURING 1909. 



(Wilson, Smithett & Co.'s Report.) 



London, Jan. 5. — The year under review has 

 been remarkable for the very high prices pre- 

 vailing, during the last six months, the value of 

 Para rising from 5s. ljd. in January to 6s. 4d. 

 at the beginning of July, and from that point to 

 9s. 2d. in September, with but few reactions, 

 thus exceeding by a long way all previous re- 

 cords, which had hitherto stood at 5s. 9Jd. per 

 lb. The later autumn months saw a consider- 

 able decline for spot and near delivery, it being 

 impossible to maintain the famine prices, due' 

 to the urgent trade demand at a time when 

 supplies were at the lowest level of the year, 

 and when, owing to the unusually low state of 

 the Amazon, receipts at Para were small and 

 greatly delayed in the interior ; the forward 

 positions, however, to a great extent held the 

 rise, as while spot was at the highest point, 

 February-March, 1910, delivery, was sold at 7s. 

 9d. per lb., whereas at the close of the year the 

 comparative values were 7s. 7Jd. and 7s. 5Jd. 

 per lb. The receipts in Para during the first 

 half of the year were slightly below those of a 

 year ago, but the latter half has proved a period 

 of larger receipts, doubtless to some extent due 

 to enhanced values, and the efforts made to 

 participate in the profits. 



Eastern Plantation 

 bas, as anticipated, rapidly increased in quan- 

 tity, but we cannot yet give the final returns 

 for the year. The extraordinary movements 

 in the price of Para noted above have been 

 fully reflected in this market, both upwards 

 and downwards, but it has been difficult to 

 maintain the premium hitherto paid ; this fact, 

 however, is more than counterbalanced by the 

 greater freedom of sale thereby induced ; by the 

 extremely satisfactory way in which the fort- 

 nightly offerings have been taken by consumers. 

 At the opening auctions good to fine biscuits and 

 sheet sold at 5s Id to 5s 8d, with palish to fine 

 pale crepe commanding similar prices, and values 

 appreciated, with but few checks, until 24th Sep- 

 tember, when the prices recorded were 8s lljd 

 to 9s ljd for good biscuits and sheet, 9s 7d for 

 smoked sheet, and 8s 8|d to 9s ljd for good to 

 fine crepe. After some slight reaction, on 4th 

 November good biscuits and sheet realised 9s 

 OJd to 9s 3rjd, good to fine smoked sheet 9s 4cl to 

 9s 8|d, and good to line crepe 8s 1 l^d to 9s 3kl 

 per lb. The record price of 9s 8id per lb. was 

 thus established. From this time until 14th De- 

 cember values tended downwards, and on the 

 latter date good biscuits and sheet sold at 6s 

 lljd to 7s Id, good to fine smoked sheet at 7s 3d 

 to 7s 7&d, and good crepe at 6s ll^d to 7s l^d per 

 lb.; the closing auctions, however, showed* some 

 recovery to 7s 2d to 7s 4|d, 7s 10d to 8s Of, and 

 7s 5d to 7a 6^d per lb. respectively. 



The high standard of quality established by 

 growers from the beginning has been well main- 

 tained, but the extreme prices have occasionally 

 induced some rather premature tapping, resul- 

 ting in a small proportion of weak and immature 



sheet been placed on the market. Trade interest 

 in Plantation kinds is expanding most satisfac- 

 torily, and the increased supplies have been fully 

 absorbed. A year ago we expressed a doubt 

 whether paleness in colour would continue to 

 attract a premium, and excepting in Crepe this 

 has been borne out with but few exceptions. 

 Biscuits, excepting on the smaller producing 

 estates, have been mainly supplanted by Sheets, 

 unless the first quality latex is turned into 

 Crepe. A considerable improvement has been 

 made in the manufacture of the lower grades, 

 which have commanded relatively high prices 

 throughout the year. Block continues to arrive 

 regularly from one important estate, but other 

 supplies are very limited and this form of prepa- 

 ration is not recommended for general adoption, 



Rambong, 



owing to its gradual eradication on many Plan- 

 tations in Malaya, has latterly been in smaller 

 supply, but some desirable consignments of 

 useful character have been received from the 

 Dutch Possessions. 



Smoked Sheet 



during the latter part of the year has, as noted 

 above, commanded a substantial premium, some 

 manufacturers preferring it to unsinoked, It is, 

 however, doubtful what difference, if any, will 

 be seen in the value when supplies become lar- 

 ger, but the process appears to harden the 

 rubber and at the same time tends to avoid 

 moulcliness and tackiness. 



Packing. 



This question has received more attention 

 during the latter part of the year, and we would 

 again point out the necessity of having an abso- 

 lutely smooth interior to the cases ; otherwise 

 splinters of wood are liable to become driven in 

 to the Rubber, and manufacturers experience 

 great difficulty in extracting the pieces. No 

 paper or other lining should be introduced. 



Statistics. 





1909 



1908 



1907 



1903 



1905 





tons 



tons 



tons 



tons 



tons 



Para Receipts, Jau. -June. ..22390 



22425 



23435 



19800 



19720 



Do do July-Dec,. ..16650 



15765 



14230 



14680 



14690 



Total ...39040 



38190 



37665 



34480 



34410 



Comparative value of Para 













31st December 



vn 



5/U 



3/5 



5/21 



5/6 



Stock of all growths in 













London 



600 



373 



1017 



739 



690 



Do Plantation do 



353 



147 



157 



66 





Total Imports, London, 













twelve months... 



5392 



3021 



3674 



2734 



2263 



Total Deliveries do 



515S 



3674 



3238 



2570 



2140 



Plantation Imports do 



3550 



1642 



1125 



439 





Do Deliveries do 



3342 



1607 



1010 



396 





Ceylon shipments, 1st Jan, 













to Hth Dec. 



607 



343 



224 



136 



162 



Singapore shipments, 1st 













Jan, to 3Pth Nov. . . 



994 



829 



566 



277 





Penang shipments, 1st Jan, 













to 15th Nov. . . 



862 



575 



206 



37 





Port Swettenham" 1st Jan, 













to ,31st Oct. . . 



954 











Total (British Possessions 













and Protectorates).. 



3377 



1717 



996 



450 





Stock all growths Liver- 













pool 3lat Dec.,,. 



1244 



1132 



2265 



960 



1029 



Do Para do da .., 



388 



275 



m 



370 



573 



