Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-10-08
HOP SHORTAGE EXISTS
OREGON ASSOCIATION ISSUES A
CIRCULAR LETTER.
Quantity Available in United States
for Export Under Needs of
Consumers.

The following circular letter has
been sent by the Oregon Hopgrowe1s
association to all members of the as
sociation:
"We desire to place before you a
condensed statement of the yorld s
hop crop for the year 1915, which we
have gathered from every reliable
source in our power. In Germany and
Austria the crop is one-third to one
half the size of last years harvest.
England is now estimated at 100000
ewt., as against 100000 cwt, of last
year. The American yield lis about
as follows:
Bales.
California Jos, 900
Oregon, $4,000 to-. o............ $4,000
Washington, about. .......... $4,000
New York, 10000 to. ...... $4,000
lotdl. -. loA,uUU
"In Belgium, Russia, France and
Galicia there were practically no hops
grown this year. England's normal
consumption of hops is about 100000
cwt. annually. On account of the
war they will probably not use to ex-
ceed 100000 cwts., leaving them short
100000 cwts., or approximately 150,-
900 American bales. Ordinarily Eng
land imports from Germany and Bel
gium about 100000 cwts. or 10000
American bales. This year, of course,
they cannot secure any supplies from
these quarters. South America, Ja-
pan and Australia ordinarily get their
supplies from Germany. They, of
course, will not be able to obtain any
from these during this season. Amer
lea last season imported 10000 bales
of German hops, which is equivalent
to $4,000 American bales. We are
also in the same position as England
and the rest of the world in that we
can get no Germans.
"All hop consuming sections of the
world have but one place to look Ito
for their requirements, and that is
the United States. We used last year
100000 bales of hops. 1t is estimated
that during THE coming season, owing
to prohibition and extremely cold
weather in the east, which left the
brewers with little larger cary-over
stock than usual, the consumption be-
tween now and the season of 1916 will
be about 216,000 bales. This leaves
us surplus for export about $4,000
bales or 10000 cwts.
GAS outlined above, England will
need 100000 cwts. and the rest of
the world about 10000 cwts., or
shortage of 100000 cwts. in all coun-
tries excepting America, and we have
but 10000 cwts. to spare. This has
been a very hard year on growers.
Their hops have cost them far more in
labor and money than usual, and TAX
ing the crop conditions the world over
into consideration they are certainly
entitled to at least living price for
their production. The matter Of the
rate of exchange on English money
and freight has also been detriment,
but this, as you will notice from the
papers, is adjusted. In our opinion
the price of commodity is ultimate
ly regulated by supply and consump-
ton. Demand can have but tempor-
airy effect on the market. Existing
conditions are good example of this.
"Under normal conditions the crop
of 1915 would be selling at 20 to 25c.
per pound, owing to the short crops
in the world, and we believe that if
the growers use good judgment they
will get fair prices. One of our rep
just returned from Cali
fornia reports that the association of
that state and the growers in general