1904.] Co-operative Granaries in Germany. 473. 



CO-OPERATIVE GRANARIES IN GERMANY. 



The establishment of co-operative warehouses for the storage 

 and sale of grain in Germany has been referred to in previous 

 numbers of this Journal* and although the development of 

 co-operation on these lines has not been very rapid, it appears 

 to be making steady progress, and warehouses for this purpose 

 now exist in the principal German States. 



The question of constructing these granaries, it may be 

 remembered, first became prominent in 1895. In 1896 the 

 Prussian Government granted a subsidy of £150,000 to be 

 devoted to this purpose, and in 1897 a second sum of £100,000 

 was placed at the disposal of the Government. The idea seems 

 to have been to endeavour to obtain for the growers, particularly 

 the peasants and smaller proprietors, a more direct trade with 

 the consumers. It was represented that owing to the lack of 

 such granaries the growers were often compelled to sell their 

 corn immediately after harvest at unfavourable rates instead of 

 being able to wait for better prices. On the other hand, it was 

 urged that such associations had not proved successful in specu- 

 lative transactions ; and that if they confined their operations 

 merely to the storage of each member's grain it was doubtful 

 whether the profit would balance the cost of erecting the store- 

 houses. 



In 1903 there were in Prussia 36 warehouses erected with 

 the aid of the funds mentioned above, and of these particulars 

 were available in regard to 32. The number of members be- 

 longing to these 32 societies was 8,915, and the capacity for 

 storage 47,600 tons. The quantity of grain of all kinds dealt 

 with during the season was 2,195,000 cwt., or about 68,800 cwt. 

 each. 



The sale of the grain is not always on a co-operative basis, 

 as some of the granaries buy and sell grain on their own account 

 This brings into their operations a certain element of specula- 

 tion, and in times of fluctuating prices may lead to financial 

 difficulties. It seems, however, that this system is largely 

 adopted. The grain is also sold on commission, subject to a 

 charge for warehousing. A third method is that of co-operative 



* Vol. III., p. 53 ; Vol. IV., p. 374 ; Vol. VII., p. 509 ; Vol. VIII., p. 88 



