The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-08-16
THE COFFEE MARKET
HAWAIIAN BERRIES IN STRONG
DEMAND.
Encouraging Letter From San Fran.
cisco Broker-Kona Coffee Finds a
Ready Sale.

SAN FRANCISCO, August 3.-The
first of August 1902 finds this market
bare of Hawaiian coffees with the ex-
ception of few hundred bags of very
undesirable grades and these, readily
salable on parity with similar grades
of Central American coffees.
The past eight months has so altered
conditions as regards this article that
the Hawaiian coffee grower may take
a more optimistic view of the future and
feel assured that he has experienced the
worst possible conditions that can effect
his crop, and having found by economy
exactly what his crop can be produced
for, can now go forward.
I can assure the planter that the Ha-
waian Islands can not produce too
much coffee of a good class for the re-
quirements of even the San Francisco
market, and not taking into considera-
ton the vast territory of the United
States to be exploited in the future
The tendency oward higher prices for
good -to-choice washed coffees in the
face of vast aCcumulatiOns of Rio and
Santos coffees is surely an indication
of a possible if not probable greater Sc
paration in prices of rank and low
grade coffees, and mild and high grades,
Hawaiians being numbered amongst
the latter.
1t is an acknowledged fact by statis-
IlGldllS ludl lueIe mas DGtl llO dNCblAAh-
lation of high grade coffees in the
worlds visible supply, that all such
grades have been absorbed, or nearly
so each year. From this point to an
actual shortage is so small a step that
it can be easily taken, and under such
condi' ions mild grades could advance
materially from their present favorable
condition.
The class of consumers depending up
on such grades for their supply would
as readily pay the advanced price, as
the lower one, as is aptly Illustrated by
the prices certain grades of Java cOffees
have maintained during the long period
of depressed values.
Without reliable information at hand
as to the exact cost of producing in the
islands and the various difficulties to be
surmounted, such as high priced labor
climate conditions, cost of land, etc,
I am still of the opinion that the pro-
duction of good coffee is the most stable
crop that can be produced there, and
the one that presents the greatest pos
sbilities for future returns.
The article does not deteriOrate with
age, and if properly handled will keep
indefinitely. 1 do not advocate specula-
ting on spot stock for future high prices
but sight this in the way of comparison
with such crops as must be handled and
sold within a specified time.
Strictly prime Hawaiian coffees have
sold here during the past eight months
as high as Is cents of course this was an
exceptional price for an exceptionally
fine coffee. Quite an amount has sold
as high as 141a cents and the ruling
prices for No. Is screen clear coffee has
been from 111k to 1872 cents and 10 to
II cents for 16 screen size.
Coffees from the Hamakua district
have in many cases arrived in very poor
condition and show unmistakable eVl-
dence of having been poorly handled
those that have arrived in good cOndl-
tion have brought a good figure. An
improvement in the grade from TINS
district would assure to the grower g
perpetual market for all that can be
raised at a premium over other WasheC
coffee coming here.
The Kona coeffes have been absorbed
as fast as they arrived and their wei
known cup quality assures to them al
active demand for the growing crol
when it is marketed.
Twenty five or even fifty thousanC
bags could be handled to greater ad
vantage from this market than the
present small receipts as the manufac'
turer who buys and distributes the bull
of stock would then have some assur
ance of uniformity in his Variou!
brands.
Low grade and defective coffees will
sell only in competition with the worlds
low grade coffees and can only ad
vance in price when they do.
The situation is certainly more favor
able to the Hawaiian coffee grove,
than it has been for years and l an
inclined to think that it will continue u
c. G. CAMERON.