298 BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY ON THE CONTINENT. [Dec. 1895. 



Austria alone. The crop is chiefly cultivated in Bohemia and 

 Moravia, the aggregate acreage under the crop in these two 

 provinces being about 600,000 acres. In 1893, the total pro- 

 duction of sugar-beet in the empire amounted to over 127,000,000 

 cwts. 



The development of the sugar-beet industry in Austria- 

 Hungary during the past 20 years may be seen in the following 

 table, showing the number of factories operating, and the 

 quantity of beet handled in them, at intervals of five years since 

 1872 :— 





Years. 



Number of 

 Factories ia 

 Operation. 



Quantity of Beet 

 handled. 







1872 



251 



Cwts. 

 32,0U0,000 

 84,200,000 

 92,500,000 

 92,000,000 

 133,000,000 







1877 

 1882 

 1887 

 1892 



227 

 230 

 217 

 213 





Of the 213 factories operating in 1892, 130 were situated in 

 Bohemia, 65 in other parts of Austria, and 18 in Hungary and 

 Bosnia. 



In accordance with a law of 1888, beet-sugar entering into 

 consumption in Austria-Hungary pays an excise of 9s. 2cZ. per 

 cwt. A direct bounty is granted on exportation, varying from 

 Is. 6d to 2s. 4d per cwt. according to the degree of polarisation. 

 The total amount of bounty payable in one year is, however, 

 limited to 416,600^., and all manufacturers producing sugar are 

 liable for the repayment of the excess. 



The Customs duty on sugar imported into Austria-Hungary is 

 fixed at 20s. ^d. per cwt. on refined sugar, and 15s. Sd per cwt. 

 on unrefined sugar, including the excise in each case. 



The net exports of raw and refined sugar from Austria- 

 Hungary at certain periods since 1868 are shown as folloAvs : — 



Years. 



Cwts. 



Years, 



Cwts. 



1868 



200,840 



1886 



4,833.980 



1878 



3,045,280 



1887 



4,456,020 



1882 



4,560,200 



1894 



8,796,000 



Notwithstanding the assistance afforded by the State, cultiva- 

 tors, manufacturers, and others interested in the manufacture of 

 sugar from, beet in Austria-Hungary complain that their industry 

 is unremunerative at the present prices ruling for sugar. In 

 consequence of representations made to the Government a 

 conference of experts was held in April last, under the presi- 

 dency of the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, to consider 



