Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-20
TONNAGE LACK
MAY PRODUCE
SUGAR SCARCITY
Outlook of Market for Balance
Of Year is Attended BY
Uncertainties

The outlook OF the sugar market
for the remainder Of the year Is at
tended with unusual uncertainties as
il indicated by the divergence OF or
iuion among trade authorities. Inc
strength which the market mas DE
ve!oped within the past fortnight ID
a very practical demonstration Oh
the belief In the trade that available
supplies are likely TO prove mace
a,iate TO meet the requirements oil
the American people between now
and January first except at level OF
prices higher than has prevailed DUR
fng the earlier half OF the year, says
Facts About Sugar.
The crux of the situation Is In
the word available Present condl
lions, particularly in the shipptns
world, are SO abnormal that II Is dill
ficuIt to determine the availability
OF certain sugars that ordinarily
could be counted upon for this mar
ket For instance, II In known that
there Is q balance Of sugar for ex-
port in the Philippines variously es-
timated from $4,000 to 100000 or
binary tons. Whether 1t Will be pos
sible to provide transportation to the
United States for any part Of this
sugar, and II so fo7 what part Of II,
remains a matter of extreme uncer-
tainty. Under ordinary circumstances,
with the present statistical position,
JaVan sugar would be moving in
quantity both to the United States
and to Europe With the present
scarcity of ocean tonnage, however,
and with the rapid extension Of gov
ornamental control, over cargo capa'
city, the possibility Of finding trans
portation facilities for any consider
able part Of this crop seems to de-
pend upon the early adoption Of
concerted plan of tonnage allotment
by the governments Of Great Britain
the United States and Japan.
Another factor Of uncertainty IL
the question of exports. To what ex
tent the British commission vii
seek further commitments in thu
Cuban raw market or the New Yorl
refined market no definite informa
ton "a forthcoming. Should this ex
port demand equal that which. ha,
prevailed during the earlier half o
the year it IL diffiSuits 10 see wher'
the American market can obtain I'll
normal apportiohment OF supplies
without recourse to far eastern sugar
The one certain source Of suppl.
on which this market can rely be
tween now and the end Of the year 4
domestic production, which forum
ately promises 70 be greater than Il
any previous year From this sourc'
there should be available from 800
600 TO 100000 tons including the bal
ance OF the Hawaiian and Porto RI
can crops, the new crop beet suga
which WIN shortly begin % be avail
able and that portion of the Lou
siana production which can be mad
ready for plsrket before the end o
the year. some portion, possibly tn
greater portion, Of the unsold Cubal
production, amounting to perhap
100000 tons, we certainly shall Of
tain. beyond this It Is difficult 3
determine what quantities or fror
what sources it, win be possible {
draw. One fact 10 obvious. Withou
their increasing homegrown suppl
American consumers would be in q
dire straits for sugar during the r,
mainder Of the year as are those G
any part OF Europe