202 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



The enquiry for very pale pure Rubber which 

 has been in evidence for some time past con- 

 tinues, and premiums of up to about 4d. per lb. 

 over ordinary Fine quality Plantation Rubber 

 have been readily paid for increasing quantities. 

 Up till now the supplies of such Rubber have 

 only been small, but the uses for it may still 

 expand considerably, and there should be room 

 for a largely increased supply in the future. 



For all kinds of Crepe, provided preparation 

 has been thorough, there is a good sale, and 

 prices even for the lower qualities have com- 

 pared very favourably with those for other grades. 



Production of Plantation Rubber.— From 

 the table below it will be seen that the total 

 production of Ceylon and Malaya Rubber for 

 1908 was about 750 tons in excess of that of the 

 previous year. The bulk of this increase has 

 been derived from Malaya, Ceylon only show- 

 ing a small expansion. Owing to the rather 

 large area of land which was put under cul- 

 tivation in the East during 1902-1903, we antici- 

 pate that a relatively greater increase in sup- 

 plies will be seen in 1909, while in a few years 

 time the production of Plantation Rubber is 

 likely to form an appreciable proportion of the 

 world's supply. 



xports of Plantation from Malaya and Ceylon: 

 in Tons. 



Singapore. Pe.naxg. Ceylon. Total. 



1905 .. 83 .. 47 .. 75 .. 205 

 190G ..327 .. 58 .. 146 .. 531 

 1907 . 049 .. 236 .. 248 .. 1,133 

 *1908 ..906 .. 570 .. 301 .. 1,903 

 * The December figures are estimated. 

 The Para Chop.— Contrary to expectations, 

 the shipments of Amazon Rubber from Para 

 so far this season (i.e., since July 1st, 1908) have 

 exceeded those for the same period of the pre- 

 vious season. This is to some extent accounted 

 for by the supplies having come down from the 

 forests more rapidly than usual, and it does 

 not follow that the total crop will be larger 

 than last season's, whilst on the other hand, 

 stocks throughout the world have been materi- 

 ally reduced. 



Shipments fkom Paka During the Last 



Ten Seasons : In Tons. 



1903-04 



. . 26,S''0 



.. 27,807 



... 29,9^7 



. . 29,821 



.. 30,535 



33,100 



19'4- r '5 



1905- OG 



1906- 07 37,641 

 . 1907-08 30,470 

 | «1908 Six months 



July to Dec. 15,715 

 a December figures are only up to the 30th. 

 Table showing Total Quantity and Average 

 Pries of Plantation Rubber offered at 

 Auction during the last 3 Years. 



1st Jan. to 31st 



Dec, 1906 6,462 

 do 1907 15,380 



do 1908 24,647 



98i 250} 3431 4,130 5/6} 

 192| 621J 814 7,388 4/9 S-f 

 290 1,005| 1,2951 16,018 4/l| 



been quiet since the holidays, but prices have 

 been rather firmer, and quotations at today's 

 auction marked an irregular advance of from Id 

 to in some cases 2d per lb on last sale rates. A 

 large parcel of Lanadron Block weighing about 

 6 tons was partly sold at from 5/10 to 5/10 J per 

 lb., this being the highest price of the sale. The 

 next best figure was 5/7 J-, which was realised 

 for some Gikiyanakande Worm. The highest 

 price for Crepe was 5/6| paid for a small parcel 

 of C. M. R. E.-Dec. 31st. 



6 TONS OF LANADRON BLOCK ! 

 The closing sale of the year passed off with a 

 fairly good demand for all descriptions except 

 Sheets and Biscuits for which, in some instances, 

 competition was rather slow. The market has 



LEWIS AND PEAT'S REPORT. 



From Ceylon, the Straits and Malay 

 States for 1908. 



0, Mincing Lane, London, Jan. 1. 

 The satisfactory feature of the past year is the 

 marked increase in the production and imports 

 of Plantation Rubber, viz., 2,100 tons against 

 1,250 tons in 1907, and the very large increase in 

 the number of buyers and consumers, who now 

 use Plantation sorbs, keenly competing for them 

 at the London auctions and by private treaty. 

 Instead of increased supplies adversely affecting 

 the market, consumers, who have taken to using 

 it, have been more and more interested in it, 

 from the fact that they are able now to depend 

 upon getting what they want regularly and in 

 increasing quantities, which at first with only 

 small supplies was a difficulty. The larger 

 quantities catalogued at the fortnightly sales 

 which averaged something like 100 tons per 

 month have been readily taken. The private 

 business between the sales has also developed 

 considerably, and we now have a regular and 

 open market for all qualities. We may say 

 with confidence that now, practically all manu- 

 facturers, large and small, use Plantation Rub- 

 ber and are likely to do so more and more. In 

 consequence of the growing importance of Plan- 

 tation Rubber, the largest and most important 

 firms in the trade being best able to judge of 

 its great future, have made and are making 

 their arrangements to handle and deal with it 

 in greatly increased supplies. Production must 

 increase enormously during the next few years, 

 but even now the 



TRADE IS READY TO COPE WITH IT 



whatever its dimensions. Throughout the year 

 fluctuations in the price of rubber have been 

 very great, and during the American depression 

 and cessation of buying, heavy stocks of all 

 grades including medium and wild rubber ac- 

 cumulated enormously; at one time the stock of 

 mediums alone in Europe amounted to some 10 

 or 12,000 tons and was for some time practically 

 unsaleable. With the fine para crop coming in 

 and being pressed for sale, the price dropped co 

 2/9 per lb., the lowest price touched for 10 or 12 

 years— and as there were scarcely any American 

 orders, European buyers had to take the bulk of 

 the crop. This decline in fine para brought down 

 the values of plantation and of all grades — but 

 with a good European demand throughout and a 

 revival of American orders— quite 



A SENSATIONAL REACTION 



set in about the middle of the year, and 

 prices rapidly advanced pence per lb. almost 

 without a break until November, when fine para 



