New-York tribune., 1920-01-13
Sugar at IL Cents
To Consumers Is
Trade Quotation
National Refining Company
Fixes IS Cents a Pound
Wholesale as Price on
1920 Cuban Granulated

Granulated sugar of the 1920 Cuban
crop will be sold to consumers at II
cents a pound. Earl D. Babst, presi-
dent OF the National Sugar Refining
Company, announced yesterday that
his company, whose lead is usually fol-
lowed by other retineries, will sell re-
fined granulated sugar at Is cents a
pound in bulk. There is 2 per cent
discount for cash on this price, bring
ing it down to 1910 cents pound.
Allowing slightly more than one-half
cent pound profit for the wholesaler
and little more than cent for the
retailer, the margins permitted by the
food administration, the price to the
consumer will be II cents. Mr.. Babst's
annQuncement is the first definitely
naming a price for 1920 Cuban sugar.
1t was made. he explained, in accord
ance with a common practice of the
sugar trade, which always announced
opening prices on bulk granulated
sugar at this season of the year.
Export Demand Ignored
Mr.. Babst declared that the export
demand was being ignored in an effort
to assure adequate supplies for home
consumption. In reviewing the sugar
situation for 1919, Mr.. Babst said
that his company had delivered more
sugar than in any previous year. His
statement follows:
"At the present time five of our six
refineries are closed. Cargoes of new
Will gradually resume our normal re-
lining operations on the reliance
that it is the purpose of the govern
ment that the refining and sale of sugar
shall return to it's normal customary
operation.
"Following the custom of the trade
in normal times we are accordingly
announcing an opening price on bulk
granulated sugar, refined from the
new crop raw sugars of Is cents a
pound, f. o. b. at the refinery. less z
per cent cash discount, based on the
present market for new crop raw
Wholesale and manufacturing trade OF
less than 14% centsc a pound.
while we have been offered export
business for 1920 delivery in great
volume, SO far we have declined all
this foreign business, holding our re-
fined capacity for domestic business
until sugar conditions in this country
became easier"
Delivered at Nine Cents
Mr.. Babst said that from the start
of the shortage last December his firm
has delivered 500, 100000 pounds of re-
fined sugar to the domestic trade, an
average of 125,0OO00O pounds a month
During December, the month of short
est supplies, the American Sugar Re-
fining Company delivered more than
100000 pounds, while during the
first twelve days of this month 14,OO0,-
900 pounds were distributed. All of
these deliveries, he said, were made at
the governments price of nine cents,
f. o. b. at the refinery, with per cent
less for cash. This price, he declared,
had been quoted by his firm since Sep
tember, 1918.
Federal Food Administrators Arthur
Williams declared yesterday that it
was possible to buy three pounds of
sugar for 50 cents at many stores in
this city. Firms offering sugar for
19 cents pound were virtually without
buyers, Mr. Williams said The Food
Administrator declared that house
wife holding 100 pounds Of sugar would
be morally guilty" of boarding.