Evening star., 1924-02-26
CONTROL OF SUGAR
MARKET IS SOUGHT.
New Florida Plant Regarded
as Blow to Present Cuban
Domination.
NJ j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch TO The star
NEW YORK, February 26.-The
opening of the big mill of the Penn
sylvania Sugar Company seventeen
miles from Miami, Fla, is regarded
by American cane growers and beet
sugar men as IL distinct blow at con-
troll of the American market by re-
ffners who own plantations in Cuba.
The domestic cane and beet producers
have always claimed that by buying
from themselves, and thus transfer
ring profits from one pocket to an
other, the refiners with Cuban plan
tations have been enabled to domi-
nate the prices of both raw and re-
fined sugars.
The new Florida plant, which began
functioning this month and now is
working into steady operation. Is the
outlet for great plantation cover
ing 100000 acres in the Florida ever
glades. The first cane was planted
wears ago, but the Investment al
ready exceeds $4,0O0,OOO. The sig
nihcant fact of the initial grinding,
however, is that 1t has proven that a
tremendous territory in Florida is
available for successful cane culture
and that its expansion will serve still
further to relieve the United States
from dependence on the Cuban sup
ply.
Production in u. $.
There were only 37s,56o,oo0 pounds
states last year, or but little more
than half as much as in 1892. The
beet sugar crop helped out, for It
was 1,sSo.160,0o0 pounds. a gain Of
previous year, but this country con-
sumed over ten and a half billion
pounds.
Sugar receipts at Cuban ports are
nesr nesrlS 4S. as large rg as they were last
yorably and the weather has been
fine. Nearly all of the ia mills
which were expected to operate in
1924 are now grinding. and there
seems little doubt that the Cuban
crop will be above that of 1928, al
though the increase is not at present
estimated to be excessive. These are
FACTORS which would tend toward a
stabtlization of prices, at least dur
ing the early part of this season.
EnSlish Renners Not Factor.
English refiners are not expected to
prove factor in price increases for
Cuban rawS, at least for the present
since they seem to have supplied their
needs pretty well UP to April. 1t is
have to look largely to Cuba for sup
plies until the Java sugars begin
to arrive on the continent In June.
Letter, however, the European beet
sugars will como on the market and
there Is every indication that the
yield fl ON that source this year will
be heavy. The French beet sugar
crop now is placed at 100000 tons
with largo contracts for acreage
closed and a big increase next year
relied on.
Consumption in this country, how
over, is counted on to improve ma
rerially over last season. Tho wild
fluctuations In sugar prices last
spring had a detrimental effect on
consumption, not only by the house.
wife but in tho case of the Gamers.
Then, too. come of the fruit crops in
various sections suffered materially
from bad weather in 1923, further
diminishing consumption of sugar in
packing.
Sugar Demand Increasing.
Candy manufacturers all over the
country report a steady and increa3-
Ing demand. Soft drink manufactur-
ers who use sugar largely in their
and prparing for Il big summr
season and preliminary estimates OF
fruit crops are encouraging to
growers and Gamers,
Other factors which intensity the
significance of the success attend
Ing the Florida cane operations are
that the district is available to
water transportation and that the
land suitable for planting to this
crop Is extremely extensive.
iserienced q most satisfactory sea-
son in 1923, due largely to advan-
tageous marketing methods, and
there Is reason to believe that this
SUCCESS will give encouragement for
extending production.