The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1905-02-02
The Rice Outlook.


rounding the rice crop, a few davs
ago, Mr.. Frank Randolph, editor Of
the Rice Journal and Gulf Coast
Farmer, of Crowley, and a man who
Is accepted as an authority on mat
tiers pertaining to rice and rice mar
keting. had the following to say:
Although just at this time it is
somewhat dull throughout the rice
belt on account of the low prices for
rice that have prevailed for several
months, the outlook is really brighter
than 1t has been at any time during
the preceding two years.
Because of the heavy production
or 1908 the current rice year began
with a handicap of more than a mil
hon bags of the cereal carried over.
The 1904 production approximated
100000 bags, which, added to the
amount carried over. made the Wis
ible supply Of rice in the States OF
Louisiana and Texas upwards of
100000 bags. Last year the domes.
tic consumption. added to the ex-
ports to Porto Rico, aggregated about
100000 bags, decided increase
above all previous distribution. This
year it is confidently believed that
the domestic market, with the help
Of the new avenues OF consumption
recently opened, will absorb the 1904
crop in addition to the amount car
ried over from 1909. The low prices
of the past twelve months have in
creased the consumption of rice in
this country and in Porto Rico fully
% per cent.
Since the 1st of November no less
than 100000 bags of Advantageous
rice have gone into entirely new mar
kets. A single brokerage company
has sold to Cuba nearly 10000 bags
and the same company has sold 10000
bags in Europe Within the past
three months American rice has been
sold in Liverpool, Rotterdam, Ham
burg, Amsterdam. Christiana and
even in Bremen, at prices averaging
quarter of a cent net above the
ruling domestic prices.
The European market Is expected
to absorb upwards of quarter OF
million bags of our rice by the close
of the current rice season. The Gu
ban market has already taken Ovel
100, 900 bags of our present holdings
and there are good reasons for believ
ing that We shall sell in that marke'
before the close of this season in the
neighborhoon of 100000 bags OF me
dunn and low-grade rices. In add
ton to these new avenues OF distri
button, easily 100000 bags of Louisi
ana and Texas rice this season vii
be ground up into stock feed. The
use Of ground rice, mixed with othel
grains. for stock feed has become
general throughout the rice belt O
the two States, and many OF the mill:
this season have been successful II
working up a good trade outside o.
the rice belt for this feed.
No material increase, in price Is
now looked for before the beginning
Of the next rice season, but ricemer
generally believe that il the present
stock is cleaned up by August | OF the
present year. better prices are sure
to prevail next year, especially II ths
1905 crop is no larger than that O
last year.
Some decrease in the rice acreag'
of the belt is anticipated in the mex
crop. The general opinion among I'M
rice fraternity at present is ina
Texas will plant about the same
acreage as last season, while in Lou
isiana the cut will unQuestionaol!
be from % to 40 per cent. Cane VII
take the place of rice in the river ant
BAYOU country, while cotton. corn
cane and other crops will be plante'
in Southwest Louisiana.
The rice crop of 1904 was the cneap
est crop ever raised in the gulf coas
rice belt. and the coming crop VII
he raised still more cheaply. In
mills will all be very conservative y
their advances on the crop. whlci
will compel the rice farmer to econ
omize in every possible way In
gradual curtailment OF toll miiiing
also having a tendency to put the IL
dustry ON a cash basis.
Summing up the situation in IN
rice belt generally. the conservativ
| men engaged in the rice business 2.
Iieye that the next eight montns vi
nlace the industry on a soundei
healthier and more permanent Dasi
than IT has ever been before.