a 
nor is any form of beneficial cultivation practiced. The result of this neg- 
lect is an inferior Copra poor in oil producing qualities. I am now 
referring to Malay and Chinese owned estates which comprise practically 
the whole industry. It is well known that European owned estates 
produce Copra of the very highest quality, but unfortunately, for their 
owners, the poor quality determines the market price. 
Ceylon Copra obtains a better price chiefly because the large majority 
of coconut estates there are owned by Europeans and under European 
management and every care is taken to turn out Copra of first quality. 
The Pacific Islands Copra maintains it advantage in price prin- 
cipally because Messrs. Lever Bros, and other well known soap manu- 
factures have extensive interests there. They have representatives on 
the spot who insist on first class Copra being supplied and in return 
pay the highest price. 
The difference in price between good and bad Copra in Singapore 
is about $1 per picul. The present price for first quality is about 
$7.50. As the price rises if is customary for many native and Chinese 
growers to resort to the injurious practice of rushing quantities of unripe 
badly dried Copra on the market in order to catch the higher rate. 
This is a practice which cannot be too strongly condemned. 
The principal sources of supply are Dutch Borneo, the Natunas and 
Anambas Islands, Johore, the Malay Peninsula, and the Dutch Islands 
generally. 
Singapore produces over 3,000 piculs of Copra per month chiefly 
from Tanjong Katong and Passir Panjang. This, with the exception 
of a small quantity from European estates, is badly dried and contains 
a large percentage of unripe nut. 
Dutch Copra from Billeton and Banka is principally kiln-dried and 
arrives clean, well dried and of good quality. 
That from Padang, Sumatra, is in small pieces well ripened, dry, 
dark and oily in appearance and contains more oil than any other Copra 
imported to Singajuore. This is due to careful cultivation and none but 
well matured nuts being gathered. 
The Celebes give us a good Copra, well dried from fully matured 
nuts, yields an excellent oil and shews careful preparation. 
Asahan exports fine large Copra, ripe and fairly well dried both by 
sun and kiln. 
Pontianak produces dry Copra of fair quality containing a small 
percentage of unripe nut. 
Saigon (Singkawang) Copra is of good quality, dry, and shews 
careful preparation. 
Ternate Islands Copra is very good, generally dry. Kelantan 
Copra is good but that from Johor, (Bafcu Pahat) is very wet, unripe 
and mouldy. Rhio sends good samples of Copra but occasionally the 
quality cannot be depended on. 
I have recently seen shipments from Malacca and Muar which were 
very bad indeed, in fact it is said that Copra from these two places is 
e worst sent in to Singapore. In one store I saw several lots heat- 
mg so badly that it was impossible to bear the hand between the sacks. 
Quite half was unripe and little or no attempt had been made at drying, 
lam informed on good authority that the quantity of bad Copra from 
Malacca is steadily increasing. 
