Jan. 1, 1900.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
THE RUSSIAN TEA TRADE. 
LARGER SUPPLIES FOR COLOMBO 
MARKET. 
In a recent issue we gave a summary 
of the proceedings at the meeting of those 
interested in the Russian Tea Trade 
which was held on Dec. 8, 1899, in the 
Chamber of Commerce room to discuss the 
desirability of laying before tea proprietors the 
possibility of increasing the quantity of tea put 
up for sale in Colombo. In opening the meeting, 
Mr. F M Mackwood (Chairman of the Cham- 
ber of Commerce who presided) said he was glad 
to see so many present. The meeting was called 
at the instance of one or two of the Russian gen- 
tlemen in their community, who approached the 
Chamber as to the possibility of their being able to 
address those interested in the tea trade here in 
the hope that they might be able to offer figures 
and arguments which would induce the proprie- 
tors of estates and agents of Companies to sella 
larger proportion of their tea in Colombo than was 
at present being sold. He was not called uoon, 
he thought, to make any further remarks and he 
would ask Mr. Tokmakoff what he had to say 
to them. 
MR. TOKMAKOFF'S VIEWS. 
Mr, S J Tokmakoff said that it was by the 
kind permission ot the Chamber of Commerce that 
thev were enabled to hold that meeting that day. 
In his speech at the Planters' Association Meet- 
ing. Mr. Lane, the Chairman of the Association, 
passed some remarks upon tlie Russian tei mar- 
ket, Mr. Lane had asked " one and all of the 
planters who could possibly do so, to encourage the 
Colombo market as far as possible, for he under- 
stood that there were complaints that there was 
an insufficiency of tea offered in the local market 
to supply all the requirements of the foreign 
buyers who were amongst them. Although the 
development of the Russian market was partly 
due to the way these people had taken to our 
teas, a part was attributable to the falling off in 
the quality of China tea, but in view of the 
absolute importance of pushing the foreign 
markets, it was the duty of every member of 
the planting community to aid and assist as far 
as he could in developing the Colombo market." 
Some of the firms who dealt with tea in 
Russia got complaints from the Russian tea buyers, 
that they (the latter) could not buy enough tea 
in Colombo. Consequently, they were unable to 
enlarge their orders, as they could not get tea 
enough. They certainly wished to enlarge their 
business and the question was how they could 
enlarge their orders if the Ceylon people did not 
enlarge the market in Colombo. (Hear, hear). 
If they continued to pub the same quantity on 
the market as before and the Russian traders 
enlarged their orders, then the price would go 
up. The total consumption of Ceylon tea in 
Rus-siain 1897 was about six million lb. out of which 
only about 440,000 lb. were exported from Colombo. 
That was about 12 per cent. In 1898 it increased 
nearly 50 per cent, the total consumption being 
about 11 millions as against six millions in 1897, 
and of this 11 millions there were sent direct 
from here 2,700,000 lb. or 23 per cent. The 
estimate of ihe total consumption of Ceylon tea 
in Russia for the present year was about 
17,000,000 lb. of which it was hoped that about 
14,000,000 lb. would go from Ceylon. They would 
see therefore, that the consumption of Ceylon tea 
57 
was increasing (applause), and at the request of his 
countrymen, both here andinRussia, Mr. Mackwood 
had been kind enough to call that meeting so 
that the matter might be placed before the Planters' 
Association and the " Thirty Commitee " to see 
whether they could find it possible to increase 
the tea sales here. He proposed that gentlemen 
representing the firms who dealt in tea with 
Russia be appointed to write an official letter to 
the Planters' Association and the " Thirty Com- 
mittee " explaining the reasons why they wished 
more tea put upon the Colombo market. 
(Applause.) 
NEW METHODS REQUIRED : DO AWAY WITH 
GRANTS. 
Mr. Heath, seconded the resolution. H« had 
been in China and had some experience ot the 
Russian trade for a good many years. He had 
also been in Moscow. Last year, he made a trip in 
the winter with the special object of trying to giet 
orders for the Colon. bo market. He had just 
come from there, having started a branch of his 
firm there. He was almost invariably met by the 
same arguments on the part of the' Russian 
buyers that it they put large orders on 
the Colombo market prices were driven up to a 
limit much beyond London, and therefore they 
could not trade to sucii advantage out here. Con- 
sequently they restricted their orders and took up 
small quantities as they required from London. 
He thought that if the Thirty Committee were 
inclined to help them in this matter, they could do 
a great deal of good. He was sure that, for in- 
stance, instead of giving away so much money as 
had been lately spent in grants, if they were to 
disiribute some of their money to aid the Colombo 
m.irket, and the planters who were inclined to sell 
their teas locally, it would be to the advantage of 
everybody, and especially to the planters them- 
selves. They were willing to spend money on this, 
and they were very anxious to do business in 
Russia and he thought it could be very easily 
worked. The amount of tea that could be taken 
in Russia was practically unlimited. They could 
lake the whole crop, it they could get the right 
kind at a reasonable price. They were quite ready, 
too, to take Ceylon tea, as far as he could judge by 
the increase of the figures. He did not think ife 
was a partiality for China tea that it had been so 
popular so long. Ceylon tea, wherever it went, 
was taken on its merit entirely — (applause) — and 
he did not think it required any pushing, pro- 
vided it could be got at a reasonable figure, to 
compete with the China teas which had been taken 
previously. He thought, if the planters were in- 
clined to help in the matter, and would put more 
of their breaks on the market, they would cer- 
tainly do no harm, and probably they would do 
themselves a lot of good. At present it seemed 
to him their great mistake was they put every- 
thing on the market in one break — pekoe, broken 
pekoe, pekoe souchong and did not consider 
whether they were suitable for the requirements 
of Russia. He maintained that if they liked to 
pick out their broken pekoes and broken orange 
pekoes, which were not wanted at any particular 
time — they coula be advised by the agents to 
that effect — they could send them to London, 
but give them a .show with the pekoes, and pe- 
koe souchongs .and leafy teas which were parti- 
cularly required for the Russian market, and at 
the worst, if they did not get fair bids they could 
always ship them to London, and they would not 
losers thereby. But he was quite sure that 
