October i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
239 
CHINA AND JAPAN TEA EXPOETS: 1887-88. 
Judging from the improving tone of the latest 
London tea telegrams, wo think it is evident that 
the large decrease in the exports from China is 
at length slightly attracting the attention of those 
interested in the trade. 
Naturally in the early days of the season, the 
decrease was attributed to differences which fre- 
quently occur at the opening of the season, between 
buyers and sellers, and it was generally thought 
that the deficiency would soon be made up by 
increased shipments. 
When tho bulk of the first crop was cleared off 
the Chinese dealers declared that owing to the 
unfavourable weather during cropping time, there 
would be comparatively very little second and third 
crop teas for export ; and the quantity would be 
therefore very short. 
As the season progresses, and there is no 
prospect of tho decrease being largely reduced, 
owing to tho fact of there being no such increase 
in the stocks in the shipping ports, from which 
so large a deficiency could be made good, some 
credence is being placed in the correctness of the 
Chinese prognostications. 
By the China advices to the 21th ult. we learn 
that the export to Great Britain, which was 29J 
million pounds short, was on that day 32J millions 
deficient. This additional decrease is, however, more 
apparent than real, because the stocks at Hankow 
were about million pounds in excess, and at 
Shanghai about five million pounds. There was 
no increase at Foochow. At Amoy there was an 
increase in the stocks of Formosa tea of 31 millon 
of pounds, but as this tea is shipped to America, 
it does not affect the export to England. 
Deducting the increase of stocks from the de- 
crease of export, there would still be a deficient 
supply for the season of 25 millions of pounds : 
but it will probably be considerably more as tho 
season progress, because the arrivals at Hankow 
and Foochow are, we gather, not likely to be equal 
to those of last season — owing to the decrease in 
the second and third prop teas. 
At Hankow the arrivals of the former are only 
85,000 half-chests against 220,000 half-chests and 
of third crop 1,000 half-chests against 10,000. 
It is said the Chinese are keeping back their crop. 
Thoy may well do this at the prices being offered 
for them. Tho Chinese, however, deny the fact, 
and arc apparently acting upon their belief, as 
they are large shippers on their own account. 
There is no doubt as to the fact of there being a 
present deficient supply of China tea to England 
of 32! millions. This cannot be ignored indefinitely 
we should think. 
As overything connected with the tea trade of our 
chief competitor must be of great interest to Ceylon 
planters, especially at the present juncture, we have 
taken boiuo trouble to enquire into the circum- 
stances which surround it. 
Wo, like may others, have always been under the 
impression that if prices in England were to ad- 
vance considerably unlimited supplies could be 
obtained from i hina in a very short time. We 
now lind that this opinion is entirely erroneous. 
Wo were surprized to discover that the export of 
tea from China i not regulated by the fluctuations 
in tho English market, anil that if the prices of China 
loan were now to advauco three ponce per pound, 
no more tea could be supplied this season, than 
will be if no advance takes place. 
It appears that the consumption of tea in the 
Chiuese Empire is so large, and increasing and is 
so nearly equal to the production, that there is 
only left ■ rarplns of about 10 por oent available 
for oxport, aud ihiu quantity is liable to bo dimin- 
ished by unfavourable seasons as is now being 
demonstrated. 
It is roughly estimated that the production of 
tea in China is 2,000 millions of pounds. We see 
that for several years past the export has not ex- 
ceeded 10 per cent of this quantity. 
Great Britain receives on an average one year 
with another 150 millions of pounds, the Continent 
of Europe about 10 millions, the Australian Colonies 
about 20 millions, and America 20 millions in ad- 
dition to what she takes from Japan. 
In support of our statement that the export is 
not regulated by English priees, we give the fol- 
lowing returns of the export to Great Britain 
during the past five years : — 
Season of 1882-3 .. 150,435,668 lb. 
1883- 4 .. 151,140,186 „ 
1884- 5 .. 144,759,120 ,, 
1885- 6 .. 152,649,902 ,, 
1886- 7 .. 150,160,271 „ 
The increase during 1885-6 was caused by two 
million pounds of the new tea from Canton and 
Macao being included in that year's export. The 
season opens much earlier in these ports than 
at the Northern. 
During these five years prices in England have 
fluctuated largely, and they had declined to a point 
last year which would certainly have curtailed the 
export of low classed teas, if the export was effected 
by low prices, but we see the extraordinary uniform- 
ity of the supply year after year and this season, 
happily for us, is likely to be an exceptional 
one. 
It appears to us probable if the present prices 
of low-classed tea remain unaltered, the Chinese 
will consume them themselves and will sell us an 
equal quantity of the finer descriptions which can 
better bear the cost of transport, manufacture, 
packing, octroi and export duties and middlemen's 
profits. 
We have often wondered why the Chinese did 
not spread their supplies over a longer period and 
thus place themselves less at the mercy of buyers, 
but we now see that owing to the shortness of 
the shipping season, it is, with the exception of 
Canton and Macao, a case of Hobson's choice. 
We have compiled the subjoined returns of the 
monthly shipments of tea from each of the ship- 
ping ports during the last three years, and it will 
be seen that the shipping season which begins 
about the 1st June is practically over by the end 
of December, but in point of fact so large a portion 
of the season's export has been shipped by the 
31st October, that it is quite possible to estimate 
within three or four million pounds what tho 
season's export will be, and we think by the middle 
of next month, by comparing this year's stocks in 
the ports with those of preceding years, we shall 
be able to form a correct opinion as to the poss- 
ibility or otherwise of tho present deficiency being 
overtaken by the end of the year. 
When we consider the enormous production of 
tea in China, we can understand how insignificant 
tho export trade is to the native grower. We doubt, 
if the average value of China tea is 7Jd per lb. in 
London, whether he gets 2d per pound out of it 
— this is equal to Jd per pound for his green leaf — 
wo who are accustomed to 2d per pound for groen 
loaf can understand how the Chineso prefer tho 
home trade Tho people who bonefU mostly tho 
China tea trado are first the Government, then the 
manufacturers and paokers, tho middlemen, and 
lastly the foreign merchants, not the speculators 
who invest on shipments, because they got the 
losses on the exports, but the commission merchants 
who make a very decent thing out of the nix 
