The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-15
JAMAICA IS UNABLE. TOMARKET BANANAS. Offered for 3 Cents Bunch
 With No Takers RECORD PRODUCTION Crop This Year Exceeds That of All Former Seasons, But Exports Are
 Off One-Half on Account
 of the War
RECORD PRODUCTION

Kingston, Jamaica, August 11.-(Corre- spondence of the Associated Press. .)-Ai- though trade in the West Indies generally has suffered to an extent which is quite appreciable owing to special war cond- tons, yet Jamaica, account of the perishable nature of its principal com modity-bananas-has had a more seri- ous setback than any other of the Brit ish West Indian colonies. The sister colony of Trinidad Is more favorably placed on account of better shipping fa- cilities offered in neutral and British ves- sels
 The effect of war conditions in Jamaica Is exhibited in the customs collections. Since August, 1914, imports and exports have decreased 12 per cent, while excise revenue has fallen to an even greater ex- tent. The falling off In exports Is due all most entirely to the lack of adequate shipping.
 Comparing the latest returns for 1915 with the corresponding war period In 1914, the following percentages illustrate the decreases in various typical exports: Cof- fee Il per cent; cocoa, 17 per cent; dye woods, B per cent; bananas, A per cent; ginger, 40 per cent; pimento 39 per cent; rum, 54 per cent; sugar, 13 per cent; cot ton, g per cent, and honey, 57 per cent.
 Exports Are Off
 Bananas, which form the principal cx- port of the colony, representing 60 per cent of the total exports, have fallen by almost one-half and this in a year when the crop is the largest in the islands his- tory. The colony, in fact, has had a rec ord production in almost all lines, but total exports are almost one-third less than in normal years. As a consequence pershiable commodities are wasted and in some places surplus fruit for banana plan tations, not protected by firm contracts with the fruit trading companies, cannot find buyers at cents per bunch.
 It is the very irony of fate that after the hurricane of 1912 and period of al- most continuous drouth in some sections since 1909. just when the seasonal rains have been the best since the year 1906 with a record crop both as regards qual- ity and quantity-the island should be placed in a position where 1t cannot mar ket it's produce for lack of vessels to carry it. The situation has been somewhat re- lieved by the action of the imperial gov ernment in arranging for ocean transport for some of the surplus sugar stocks. but this benefit to the island as a whole is small, as sugar occupies but compara- lively insignificant position in the bulk of the colonys exports. The basis on which Jamaican prosperity rests under present conditions, both on account of the revenue derived from it, and the fact that 1t puts more money into circula- ton than all the other departments of agricultural activities put together, is bananas Quick, regular and sufficent ocean transport, therefore, is an essential condition to the islands prosperity. This Jamaica has not got and there seems no immediate prospect of improvement in the situation.
 Turn to United States England is not in a position to act except to find freights for such products as she may immediately require The eyes of Jamaica, therefore, turn to the United States, not only for the reas ,n that she is the islands best customer for bananas buying 90 per cent of the gross produc- tion, but for the further reason that American capital and energy and enter prise has developed the banana trade to its present position of pre-eminence. It is interesting here to note the rela- tive positions of the mother state and America both as buyers and sellers. In l1S74 Jamaica purchased from Great Britain 54 per cent of her entire importations and in 1914 305 per cent: while she purchased from America in 1874, sos per cent and in 1914, E per cent respectively. In other words in 40 years trade with Great Britain has diminished by 1894 per cent while relations with the United States have im- proved by 16.7 per cent. Of exports, the mother land purchased in 1874, -7s.2 per cent and in the same year the United States purchased 1.5 per cent. In 1914 the relative positions were. United King | dom 1S.2 per cent: United States 609 per | cent. and at the same time the bulk of | trade during the period mentioned has more than doubled in value. Jamaica S next best customer is Canada, whose purchases in 1914 amounted to 72 per cent with sales totaling slightly over 8 per cent.
 One reassuring feature of the situation | Is the present high prices of special products, which, in a measure, help to compensate for other losses. For in- stance rum and sugar have scared to a point which has not been attained in the present generation. Rum stands at quite double ante-war price, varying according l to quality from S7 cents to s1 per imperial gallon. while sugar is practically s5 per i hundredweight. At these prices a very
 handsome margin is left over cost of pro-
 duction, certainly not less than 50 per cent on capital invested.
 l But in spite these favorable factors, | lack of steamship freights hits the island
 trade in it's most vital spot. the banana
 trade.