Evening star., 1924-04-10
DROP IN QUALITY
; OF COFFEE FEARED
q. S. Dealers Charge Brazil, Con.
/: trolling Supply, Manipulating
J for High Prices.
RoASTERS LIMIT BUYING
See Deficit in Receipts of Product
: by July l.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
Z NEW YORK, April 10.-Practicaly
every housewife in the United States
knows what she is accustomed to put
4n the breakfast coffee pot daily. But
Indications exist that she will not be
able to tell what she can put into that
pot some months hence or what it will
cost her. Already coffee drinkers all
over the country are complaining to
Erocers, wholesalers and roasters Of the
snferior grade of cup coffee.
. Brazil holds the dominating influence
IN the coffee market at present ana
dealers are giving that government full
credit for its cleVerness in handling its
coffee problems. The coffee market or
america is practically based on Rlo
coffee. Mocha and Java, once names to
conjure with when the steaming coree
cup was considered, now are names only
in the trade.
Brazil Seeks Control
> Brazil is endeavoring so to control
the marketing of the supplies from
her plantations as to obtain hlgh
prices. This government effort at
Ealorization, which simply means the
maintenance OF arbitrary values by
government action, is dependent for
ats success largely on the results or
Efforts by the Brazilian government
10 obtain a loan from Great Britain.
Negotiations for such a loan are
known to be in progress, but the Bra
gillian government is steadfast in its
policy of refusing to announce how
far the matter has progressed.
In the meantime, receipts at the
Brazilian ports continue small. Ship
snentS to this country likewise are
Of nominal proportions.
Roasters here are buying very lim-
ited amounts in hope of lower prices
and stocks throughout the country
are relatively light. The statistical
Nnprecedentedly strong. Stocks of
Rio coffee in this market are esti-
mated by one authority at not above
10000 bags. of which the bulk Is
owned by roasters. Stocks afoat are
pot large.
Total at Rio ':87 600 Bags,
The amount at Rio itself totals only
estimated there remain only about
$4,000 bags of the last crop to come
forward from interior points, making
q total supply of $4,000 bags to meet
demand Until the new crop comes on
the market July l. Forecasts of the
ahat the Brazilian supply will be
moderate, probably in the neighbor-
hood of 100000 bags.
. Against this supply, world require
mentS OF Rio cOHeeS DetWe cen now ana
5uly ! are placed at ], 1892, 900 bags, or
g. deficit of 100000 bags. Require
ments for the annual period begin
ping July l are estimated at 81 776,-
300 bags, or probable deficit of
s,7I6,000 bags. The amount of Rio
roftee required cannot be supplied
from other sources except at a higher
price. The next grade to Rio is San
sos, which relatively is 212 cents a
pound higher than Rio.
Held Indispensable Ingredient.
In addition, the experts of the trade
are convinced that coffee now may
be regarded as an indispensable in
gredient of the world food supply and
that il will continue so even though
the economic conditions in general
here and abroad should take "A turn
for the worse. Laneuville. a noted
French statiStician. places the worlds
visible supply month ago at 4.lSl,-
600 bags. as against 7,4I1,000 March
J, 1929. Other statisticiaus place the
world supply today at only 3,S93,000
bags.
Views of Experts.
One of the most important figures
in the trade may be quoted as follows:
= LAS a result of the strong position
prevailing. we are believers in the
coffee futures market and anticipate
much higher prices"
8 Another expert, equally well known,
said:
: we continue to believe that the