Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-22
HIGH Price FOR
SUGAR EXPECTED
FOR THE FUTURE
Scientific Society Collects Data
To Show Trend of the
Industry
By c. S. ALBERT.
peclal Star-BuIIet4n CorrespondenceI

WASHINGTON. -. G., April .. -
That the price OF sugar must matcri-
ally advance during the next few
Years. with a pronounced shortage in
supply. is clearly indicated by data
collected through the National Geo
graphic Society and just made pub
Iic. The figures bearing on the mat
ter are set forth in an exceptionally
striking manner They demonstrate
that sugar crops must he cut to min
imum without any abatement in the
demand.
A statement given out by the Ma
tional Geographic Society gives the
results of it's inquiry into sugar con-
ditiOns:
"Fifty-threc out OF every hundred
pounds Of sugar produced In the
world Is grown in the countries now
at war and their colonies. The total
production. Of the world is estimated
at approximately $4,000, 900 tons. This
production is made up OF cane sugar
and beet sugar. the total yield OF cane
sugar having been 9,454, 900 tons, and
of beet sugar, S,43S,000 tons in 1913
One of the peculiar facts connect
ed with the sugar map of the world
is that while Europe produces more
than 80 out Of every 100 pounds or
beet sugar grown, it yields only l
pound out of every 600 Of cane sugar.
"Of Europe's total production or
beet sugar, amounting to 7.SOS,OOO
tons, 5,666.O0O tons grew in belliger-
ent territory in 1913. Nearly all OF
this product is now entirely isolated
from the outside world, being grown
mainly in Germany. Austria-Hungary
and Russia What this means to the
world is revealed by the fact that
more than two-thirds Of the world s
sugar is not consumed in the country
of it's origin, this condition arising
from the fact that the great sugar
using nations are principally outside
of the belts of sugar production.
ANY scarcity of sugar growing out
of the war will affect the United
States more seriously than any other
country, for the reason that Ameri'
can people are per capita the heavi-
est users of sugar in the world. With
one-sixteenth of the worlds popula-
ton, the United States consumes
more than one-fifth of its sugar. How
rapidly this country is becoming a ma
ton Of sugar eaters is revealed by
reference to the, tables OF sugar con-
sumption of the past half century
Fifty years ago the people of the
United States ate IS pounds of sugar
per capita Five years later, in 1870,
they were using SO pounds per capita.
In 1880 the per capita consumption
had gone up to 40 pounds. Twenty
five years ago 1t had risen to 81
pounds. In 1900 it had climbed still
higher, to 50 pounds. By 1910 the
mercury in the sugar consumption
thermometer reached 80. Today the
per capita consumption is upward OF
IS pounds.
1T appears that the cane sugar in.
dustry will suffer very little in the
matter of the total crop yield as a
result of the war On the other hand,
the beet sugar business will suffer
very heavily.
The present Russian crop has been
almost entirely tied UP by inability to
get exports out of the country, while
next years crop is threatened with
shortage resulting from the destruc'
ton of the industry in Poland. where
so much of Russia's sugar is pro.
duced. The reports from France In
dictate that the rich sugar beet lands
OF the northern section were harvest.
ed last season under the direction OF
the Germans and that most of the
sugar factories in this territory have
been dismantled to secure their cop
per for the manufacture of war NUM-
tioAs.
"Information from Germany indi-
Gates that the empire will plant only
three-fourths of its normal area in
sugar beets this year This would
result in cutting down Germany's
sugar yield by more than 100000
tons.
of course, the prospective short
age In beet sugar production will be
Offset by the falling off in
sugar consumption incident to the fl
nancial stringency Of the world,
caused by the war. Great Britain. an.
nually buying nearly 100000 tons OF
sugar. will probably cut down her con-
as much as Germany will