2l8 



Beet Sugar in Russia. 



Empire was not properly ascertained until the year 1881-82, 

 when it was found to be 641,113 acres. In 1896-97 the extent 

 of land under this crop was estimated at 869,881 acres. 



In 1 848 the Government imposed an excise duty upon the 

 quantity of sugar produced, and the fixing of this duty was 

 more or less complicated until 1881. In 1881-82 the com- 

 plicated system was entirely abandoned and duty was pay- 

 able upon the quantity of sugar produced, irrespective of the 

 productive power of the factory. This method has since been 

 maintained, and in 1894 the duty was fixed at i r. 75 c. per 

 poud (los. I id. per cwt.), at which rate it remains. Details 

 as to the present system of fixing the excise duty are given 

 in the last number of this Journal. 



The imports of sugar into Russia are usually insignificant, 

 the quantity in the period 1870-93 being 85,182 tons, two- 

 thirds of which were imported in the two years 1875 and 1893. 

 The duty is 37s. 5d. per cwt. on soft, and 38s. 5d. per cwt. on 

 refined sugar. The total exports of sugar have averaged 

 88,561 tons during the ten years 1887-88 to 1896-97, but in 

 the year 1895-96 no less than 178,605 tons were exported. 



The Bulletin Russe for April- June, 1898, contains a 

 ^ ^ table showing the production and consumption of sugar 

 in Russia since 1872. In this table the consumption is 

 taken to be the quantity of sugar sold on the national markets. 

 The figures, converted into English equivalents, are for the 

 last five years as follows : — 



Years. 



Stocks at 

 the com- 

 mencement 

 of the 

 season. 



Imports. 



Production. 



Total. 



Quantity 

 sold. 



Exports. 



1892- 93 - 



1893- 94 - 



1894- 95 - 



1895- 96 - 



1896- 97 - 



cwts. 

 425,000 

 501,000 

 809,000 

 1,805,000 

 2,275,000 



cwts. 

 547,000 

 6,000 

 4,000 

 5,000 

 9,000 



czvts. 

 7,850,000 

 11,487,000 

 11,241,000 

 12,794,000 

 12,497,000 



czuts. 

 8,822,000 

 1 1,994,000 

 12,045,000 

 14,604,000 

 14,781,000 



czvts. 

 7,899,000 

 9,528,000 

 8,569,000 

 8,766,000 

 9,809,000 



czvts. 

 427,000 

 1,657,000 

 1,677,000 

 3,570,000 



2,383,000 



The above figures show that the reserve of sugar has 

 increased in Russia since 1892, and that the stock at the 

 beginning of 1897-98 stood at approximately 2,500,000 cwts., 

 a higher figure than in any previous year. 



