Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-18
ITALIAN SUGAR
GROWERS SAVED
BY WAR DEMAND
Conditions of Market and In
ports and Exports Set Forth
BY u. S. Consul


Conditions of the Italian sugar mar
ket before and since the beginning OF
the European war are set forth by K.
c. Tredgell, United States consul at
Turin, Italy. in the Commerce and
Trade REPORTS published on February
IS. Mr.. TTedwells article follows, In
part:
In response to a number of inquiries
concerning sugar conditions in this
market, an effort has been made TO
collect all available data for interest
ed Americans. The Italian customs
classification divides sugars into two
grades and the duties are as follows:
tai First class; unit, quintal (Of
22G. As pounds; duty, 81 lire tequiva;
lent to 1857 pei 100 pounds. Sugar is
considered as of the i-st class when
on being refined it Yields more than
81 uer cent. The yield Is calculated
bv deducting from the sacCha~OSe per
centage the proportion of soluble
ashes multiplied by 5. Sugars mixed
with materials of nature to decrease
the weld shall also be considered as
Of the first cIass,-...
(hl. Second cIsas, unit. Qntntai tot
go Is pOundsI duty. IS lire tequAa-
lent to $40 per 100 pounds,
There is a drawback allowed on i'm
rorted sugar used in the manufacture
OF yermuth, liquors, jams, s:ruPS. can
died frlit, and biscuits. (t should be
noticed that Italy is no longara men-
her of the Brussels Sugar Cohvcn-
tionl 49,
The internal tax on the manufacture
of sugar during the year 1915 amounts
TO 1915 lire and 1920 lire per quintal
(S6.5S and 1882 per 100 pounds) for
the two grades respectively. BY de-
cree of September Is, 1915. the in,
tetnal tax on the manufacture OF SUI
gar was increased ) lire per quintai
ts0.44 per 100 pounds.
Imports and Exports.
The average production OF raw
sugar in italy is estimated at 10000
metric tons tmetric ton equals 2206.G
poundsD per annum, and the impOrta-
tons are consequently Of little i'm
portance. 49," s-
Austria-Hungary has usually sup
piled about five .sixths of the imports
and France practically all of the re-
mainder .: ~. .. -....
ItaIy'5 exports of sugar have under,
gone some interesting changes since
the commencement of hostilities i'll
Europe. In 1912 the kingdom sent to
other countries So metric tons valued
at $4,000; in 1913, 1929 tons, worth
$4,000: and IN 1914, 29,S79 tons,
valued at $1,730, 600. -" .......-.... 49,.
The average value Rer 100 pounds
of the sugar imported in 1914 was.
first class, S2.H, and second class,
1926; and of that exported, first class,
1894 and second class. 1926. ....
Domestic Production Of Sugar
and 8eets. - -
1t has already been. remarked that
the production Of raw sugar in Italy
amounts TO about 100000 metric tons.
This is derived entirely from the
sugar beet, and of the. 100000 acres
under cultivation in Italy less than
1000 acres are IN the Turin consular
district. Consequently, only SIX OF the
forty-odd Italian sugar refneries are
TO be found in Piedmont. The prin-
cipaI refinery is at Spinetta Marengo,
and belongs to the Societe Generate de
Sucreries. This company manufac-
lures sugar of the second class and a
by-product containing molasseS, which
is used as cattle food. 49,.
: More than so per cent Of the land
under sugar-beet cultivation is in the
Department of Veneto. and that de.
partment and the Department OF Emi-
liza produce fonr-fifths Of the Italian
crop. The yield of sugar beetS in Italy
and in Piedmont during the past
three years was, in metric tons: 1912
Italy, f,743,0Q0, Piedmont $4,000;
19l3-Italy. 2,73e,OO0, Piedmont, 22.-
900: 1914-ltaly, l,350,000. Piedmont,
q, 700. An average yield however is
considered to be about 1,723. $50 met
rio tons for the whole. Of Italy and
30 300 tons for Piedmont. g..
Variations in Yield. r." H."
Conditions in the sugar market
have fluctuated considerably during
the past three wears. In 1912 there
was smaller production Of the sugar
beet, especially in the Turin district,
than in previous years. but climatic
conditions favored the formation of
sugar Ill TIE IOOlS, So tidl tue = EdhS3
percentage compensated for the de-
creased cultivation, and manufacture
ers were enabled to produce more
sugar than in the preceding year. In
1913 the yield OF sugar beet was much
above The average and thus tended to
lower the price of sugar. Because OF
the heavy decline in prices. the pro
gressiya increase in the manufactur-
er'S tax, the sharp rises experienced
in the cost of coal, coke, oils, jute,
and, in general, OF all articles used
on a vast scale in sugar factories, ital
ian manufacturers were much con
cerned about the future.
The prices of sugar in January,
1914. were extremely low, due to- the
large stocks on hand. 1t was then cal,
culated that on August l, 1914, the
stocks would be equivalent to 100000
metric tons. or the normal annual con
sumption of sugar in Italy. Conse
quently, there was smaller acreage
under cultivation with sugar beet in
1914 and the production Of sugar was
rnunh haI0u- normal The outbreak al