The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-22

in soap, lard and butter substitutes
and in other industries In the
amounts indicated by the following
table: ...
Utilization Of cocOsnut Oil in United st.sts.
lin thousands pounds.) ..
1917. 1918. 1920.
Imports .......... 1880 356.0s 2i5, 2Ss
Production ...... 1885, SS 3tl, 28S 13l, 439
Total supply. .. ss1, $40 ss7:s24 $40, SIS
Exports 49,. 1880 s,s2s 2s,s5o
Total for cOn.ump. $40. 74s sss, aos aus. O2s
Used in .Oap..... lss,eo2 $4,000 500.
stitute. -. s,S45 1905 ......
Used in butter sub :. .,s =, - 90. p
stitutes ........ n,Jo3 ol,IIS .....s
Used In other In a.. a. "
duBtries ........ 1x2.OoS 1lo.4lo, .....'
Our average importation of CO.
coanut oil during the period 1910
1914 was over 100000 pounds per
year. This increased rapidly IN 1918
to $4,000, 900, In 1919 to $4,000. 900
pounds. The decrease then BEGAN.
and In 1890 we imported 2l5,e0o, 900
and. in the first six months OF 1921
$4,000, 900. At the same time ex-
ports began to shrink from the war
level of l4l,0OO,0 900 pounds Of 1890.
until the total for the six months
81 1881 was only 100000 pounds.
The future development OF the
use of the cocoanut will have an i'm
portant. bearing on the manufacture
OF many foodstuffs used as substi-
tutes for animal fats and for those
containing cottonseed oil. From an
economic standpoint 1t is important
to remember that the crop may be
greatly extended and produced very
cheaply. The cocoanut palm Is
suited to large areas of undeveloped
tropical country and the cost of
production Is low since from eight
to q dozen nuts drop from the tree
and lie safely in the husk await
ing to be picked up.
The economic drive Of the vege-
table oils and other food products
from the tropics against the more
expensive animal foods OF the tenn
perate zone continues. As the cost
Of meat and dairy products tend to
rise, these cheaper vegetable sub
stitutes will be more generally used
Tariffs may be interviewed to delay
the change and allow other indus
tries to adapt themselves to the new
situation, but in the long run the
cheaper vegetable foods have pushed
out the animal foods where popu-
lation becomes very dense. The CO.
coanut and the peanut together win
undoubtedly form a very strong
pair of competitors to producers OF
animal fods In the near future.
We now have in the United
States, including the Philippines,
two great sources of vegetable oils.
cottonseed and ,copra. m 1870 we
produced 1.141,o00,0o0 pounds OF
cottonseed oil and exported 1884,
900. 900 pounds. At the same time
we produced 131.ooo.o0o pounds of
cocoanut oil, imported 215.ooo.0 900
pounds more, and exported only
IS. 900. 900. The only other oils. Of
importance IN the vegetable group
duced 4S5,oo0,oo0. and corn oil
which amounted to 16l, 10000. 0O0
pounds.
Taken altogether, our total pro.
duction OF vegetable oils In 1890
total Of animal fats was 1,636,oo0.-
900 pounds. Producers OF animal
products are alarmed over this in
CTCdSCo ubC VI NCBcNdpAC OlASg al
though Il 10 we'll known that meat
and milk, products command q
premium over the vegetable substI-
tutes. Recent Investigations OF the
importance OF milk in the human
diet may tend to sustain the de-
mand for dairy products,
Strong efforts are being made by
legislatures TO prevent the decep-
tive substitution OF vegetable oils
for milk fats and other animal
fats In products made for general
consumption SO that a free and
fair competition may follow.
Just at present. the market for
copra Is dull since there are heavy
stocks in Europe and also in this
country and consumption Is rela-
lively low. The decision with re-
gard to the tariff will exert a con-
siderable influence on future de-
velopment as to whether the cocoa
nut oil industry will be largely de-
veloped in this country or win re-
vive in Europe to the position of
prominence It held before the war.
In either case the increased pro-
duction Of these cheap vegetable oils
must therefore reach an effect upon
the general market for products in
which they are used.