The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-03-04
No. III.

An interview with commission man
who ships considerable of our rice to
the mainland disclosed the fact that
the rice growers are losing part of
their profit on account of carelessness
in milling and grading their rice, and
on account of the lack of organization,
and therefore, lack of mutual under
standing as to standard qualities of rice
required by the market. The commits
sion man, in order to make a sale of
rice to the mainland, must furnish small
samples upon which he receives quota
tions from prospective buyers. ship
ment of rice made on such quotations
must, obviously, correspond in quality
to the samples, otherwise the agreed
price will not be paid and embarrass-
ment is experienced by all parties con-
cerned.
Complaints have frequently been
made that too much cracked grain and
imperfect kernels are allowed to remain
in the milled rice. This lowers the
value of the whole product and cor
responding loss is experienced by the
producer. 1t is unfortunately some
times assumed by the producer that a
small quantity of cracked grains left
in the milled rice will not be noticed
by the buyer, and that the producer
will thus be so far ahead in the bust
ness deal.
In plain English this is an attempt
at deception and is invariably detected.
1t is impossible to deceive expert buy
ers as to the quality of goods furnish
ed, and since no firm will remit the
agreed price upon product which does
not come up to the sample in quality,
it is obviously necessary to be strictly
honest in this regard.
1t is a lamentable fact that so many
farmers have disregarded this point and
have believed that it was possible to
allow the quality of their product to
deteriorate without fear of detection
on the part of the buyer. This prac
tise works only to the harm of the
farmer. A product must meet the
standard of the sample submitted ant
must be uniform in quality, otherwise
loss is experienced. The cracked
: grains and screenings, if removed a
, COMPLETELY as possible. would still b,
salable. although at a lower price. TIL,
remainder of the milled rice. in first
class condition. would then bring tn,
prevailing market price for higl
grade product.
The commission man in question as
sured me that loss of fifty cents pc
: hundred pounds is experienced bv tn
rice growers in shipping the rice t.
the mainland. on account of lack o
organization and carelessness in grad
, ing the rice. In some instances. thi
, sum of fiftv cents would mean all tn
difference between a profit and los
to the grower. The matter has bee
submitted to the rice growers and som
of them understand the Importance o
it and have attempted to meet the de
: mands of the trade. Unfortunately
however. others have neglected to d
so. and this brings about lack o
, uniformity in the total milled rice prod
uct Continually objections are. there
D fore made by the trade on the main
r land and the price offered is sufficient
5 " low to make good the loss which tn
= dealer would experience in handling a
g ununiform product.
r I have been assured that IL the re
= growers of the Islands would form a
n organization. and make n determine
effort to furnish certain uniform quail
| ties of rice. that the commission me
!, would be wiling to advance at ono
4 seventy-five per cent of the value @
r the rice. So long as the, quality of tn
$ rice. however. is ununiform it is NJ
h safe for a commission man to max
h such an advance.
o This condition in the rice industry
s mentioned chiefly for the purpose {
IL callino attention To the fact that III
:. troubles in developing a Oversize
|, farming industry in Hawaii are not du
s solely to nnsvmnathetic commissio
= men and TRANSFORMATION companies, bI
S are partly due to the carelessness an
y lack OF business methods among IL
It producers themselves.