April r, 1898.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
68s 
JAVA TEA IN 1897. 
The annual report on the trade in colonial 
products f‘>r 1897, issued as a supplement to the 
Indische Mercuur ol Jan 29, contains the fol- 
lowing infoimation regarding Java tea, supplied 
by the firm of Wed. J. vander Chits and Zoon 
of Delft:— 
During the past year th' m were offered at 
eight sales in Amsterdam 4,871,504 half kg. of 
tea at an average price of 32^ cents per J kg. 
(about 1 1-10 lb. avoirdupois) (according to the 
official statistics of the tea warehouse superin- 
tendents). In order the better to demonstrate 
the growth of Amsterdam as a colonial tea 
market, we ajipend the totals of the imports, 
home consumption and exports since 1891. These 
amounted to: 
Import. 
Home consump. 
Export. 
i kg. 
k kg. 
i kg. 
1891 
. . 1,433,000 
1,270,000 
413,000 
1892 
. . 3,043,000 
1,519,000 
1,222,000 
1893 
. . 3,083 000 
1,685 000 
1 , 355,000 
1894 
. , 4,441,000 
2,133,000 
2,120,000 
1895 
. . 3,752,000 
2,110,000 
1,880,000 
1896 
., 4 456,000 
2,275,000 
2,275,000 
1897 
.. 4,871,000 
2,488,000 
2,235,000 
from which it appears, that the imports during 
1897 were more than three times greater than 
only six years previously ; the Netherlands con- 
sumption almost doubled in that short period, 
whilst the export was more than five times as 
great ! The use of tea in this country is steadily on 
the increase, and shows an advance of about 9 
per cent in the past year. 
As regards the priee.s as these eight sales : The 
first sale began well, and prices even exceeded 
the brokers’ rather hieh valuations ; the second 
sale went off at somewhat similar figures, ordin- 
a-y being even some cents higher. The circa 
9.000 chests sold on April 22 went off dully, 
partly owing to the rather large quantity of or- 
dinary, and also on account of the little variety. 
Prices however were not in that ease lower than 
might reasonably have been expected. The auc- 
tion of June 2 again brought us a large quan- 
tity of ordinaiy, for which there was little demand. 
Tin’.; therefore again went off lower, whilst fine 
and finest teas showed a rising tendency. The 
demand for fine and best sorts was even more 
manifestly displayed at the sale of July 21, 
when a firm rise also took place. Notwithstand- 
ing the relatively large quantity (over 10,000 
kgs ) all went off well, and ordinary was even 
some cents harder. On Sept. 9 again, over 
12.000 che.sts were sold by auction, for which 
400 difi'erent samples had to be tested. This 
quantity was however no hindrance to firm and 
generally higher prices. The choice also was a 
very good one, as buyers of the most ordinary 
could find what they wanted just as much as 
those who gave two guilders for the handsomest 
golden tips ever prepared by Assam or Ceylon 
planter. In our report on the sale of Oct. 20 
we find that the prices were again on an average 
3 or 4 cents higher, whilst we mention the 
plantations that, notwithstanding the distinctly 
evident advantages of our market, still continue 
to send their teas for sale to London. With 
pleasure we learn now, that the often crooked 
dealings and machinations on the English side, in 
order to retain in London that little portion of 
Java tea that still remains to them, have failed. 
With great satisfaction we see that two plantations 
that were formerly sold in London have now turned 
to the Netherlands trade. On Feb. 2 will appear 
84 
invoices of the Wana-Sari and Hardja-Sari plan- 
tations, as well as that of an entirely new 
mark, the Tjidjerock estate. These teas will un- 
doubtedly, when once they have been better 
introduced into our market and our consump- 
tion, be more considerately treated than in 
London, where they, in common with all Java 
tea, are with true English arrogance characterized 
as surrogates of the British Colonial hobby- 
horse and the product of Ceylon — which island 
these friends were moreover so good as to filch 
from us once on a time. 
The last of the series of sales of the year 
was held on December 8. We give once more 
what the Telegraaf reported regarding this : 
“ The firm result of the last of the eight sales 
held on the 8th iust. was a worthy conclasioa 
and a new proof of the strength of our Java 
tea market,” with which we fully agree. 
We advise planters — we have already re« 
peatedly brought this forward, and only Pan* 
gerango has complied, thus setting a good ex* 
ample— to keep before their eyes the fact that 
Java tea is a product grown by Netherlanders, 
consigned by Netlierland boats to a Netherland 
market, whilst in addition this product is to a 
great extent used by Netherlanders, or exported. 
We therefore gladly set forth with emphasis the 
following on the programme of 1898 : 
“New preparation” (or planting) for the super- 
session of “• Assam tea” or “Assam grown.” 
The word “Java” to be marked in large letters on 
the chests. 
“ Qe broken Pecco, Thee and oranje Pecco” in place 
of the foreign denominations now used, just as Wit- 
punt or zilverpant Pecco for socalled Flowery Pecco 
(with white tip) and for distinction from Ooudpant 
Pecco for the socalled Flowery Peooo (with gold 
« 
RUSSIAN TEA AGENCIES IN CEYLON, 
Mr. J. Findlay, special agent of Messrs. 
Mochanoff, Pechatnoff & Co., Merchants and Com- 
mission Agents, Hankow, Kiskiang, Foochow 
and Tientsin, who arrived here sometime ago 
and left for Hankow by the ss. “ Chusan ” 
has estaolished an agency of his firm here 
which is being temporarily taken charge 
of by Mr. Frank Blakwill who will be suc- 
ceeded in about two weeks’ time by a 
Rus.sian gentleman. We trust that the ’ firm 
will have a prosperous time. We understand that 
in the course, of the year, two or three Russian 
houses will open branches here and this, we think, 
looks well for il.e Colombo market, although we 
fear the Russians will nob have so large a selection 
as they would wish. That however is a matter 
which rests with the planters and London share- 
holders. At the present moment, the Colombo 
prices are said to be distinctly better than 
those ruling in London. We understand the 
Russians, however, prefer to buy their teas 
direct from Ceylon. About 70,000 chests of Ceylon 
tea were used in Russia last year, and we hope 
that, with the advent of Russian houses here, 
this quantity will be very largely augmented. 
It is very satisfactory to learn that Ceylon tea 
is found very suitable to blend with China, for 
Russian purposes — far more so than Indian tea 
—and everything points to our getting an in- 
creasing hold of the Russian tea market. Thero 
is scope for a manifold increased consumption of 
tea among the Russian people it only the heavy 
Customs duty was reduced. 
