Evening star., 1941-10-12
There's Plenty
Of Sugar, Say
Trade Circles
Only Hoorders Apt
To Be Disappointed
In Coming Months
BY GARETH MUCHMORE.
The Stars Special News Service.

NEW YORK, Oct. 11.-Any sugar
hoarders-and dealers think there
are quite a feW-may be disap-
pointed to find the United States
getting all the sugar it can use,
trade circles say.
They declare that about 100000
tons of sugar disappeared" into
manufacturer, wholesale, retail and
household storage during the last
eight months, citing January August
deliveries of 5,566,000 tons, 1,O87 900
more than in the same period last
year, and allowing for increased use
Such boarding, they say. probably
was done through fear that. as in
the war and postwar period 20
years ago, sugar would become
scarce and expensive.
But the picture today is differ
ent from that of 1917-192O.
In the first place, retail prices are
holding fairly steady at about 6 cents
a pound. a little more than half
of World War levels.
During the World War. many Euro
pean countries, including France
Italy and Belgium. depended on
Cuba and the United States for their
sugar.
Only British in Market.
Today only the British are able
to compete seriously with us in the
Caribbean sugar markets, and indi-
cations are that Britons have been
working fairly closely with Amer
ican officials.
Shipping is the key. Transfer of
boats to British use has cut the num-
Der bringing sugar to the United
States The Maritime Commission.
however, has promised that sugar
ships will be made available.
Aside from the possible ship short
age, there's hardly any similarity
between the sugar situation today
and that of the World War.
Then the United States produced
little. Today we grow nearly 30
per cent of all the sugar We use.
Estimates for 1912 average about
100000 tons of cane sugar from
Florida and Louisiana, and 1900 900
tons of beet sugar from the Middle
and far Western States.
Figuring United States consump-
ton at 100000 tons of raw sugar
year. we must import under 5000. =
600 tons. Raw sugar, the trade
standard. loses about 7 per cent Of
its weight III refining.
Cuba probably can send to the
United States 100000 tons. to the
British 100000 tons, and still ship
100000 or SO tons of molasses to
United States munitions factories
for use III making alcohol for pow
der production.
Ship Haul Too Long.
Puerto Rico should produce 1900
900 tons for the United States;
Hawaii. 100000 tons, and the Philip
pines. $4,000 tons. Counting in the
invisible" supplies at 100000 tons,
the far-off Philippines could be dis
counted if necessary as too long a
ship haul.
There has been some talk of
Britain and the United States buying
the entire 1912 Cuban crop. Britain,
where heavily-sugared tea is the ma
tional beverage, has decided to in
crease her sugar ration for the
winter months
Estimates of her needs for 1912
average around 100000 tons, of
which she must import about 1000
600 tons. Beet sugar on the island
makes up the rest.
Counting on Cuba for 100000
tons-which United States British
collaboration might make certain
the other 100000 could come from
a number of Western Hemisphere
sources. chiefly from Peru and the
Dominican Republic. which produce
100000 tons year
Canada'S normal imports of 400 =
900 tons could be balanced against
British West Indies production.
Sugar circles discount the sizable
production of the Dutch East In
dies and British colonial sources as
too far from England under present
shipping conditions.
Disagree on Prices.
AS to prices the American house
wife will pay, there was sharp dis
agreement. One sugar trade expert
said he didn't believe Price Adminis-
traitor Leon Henderson could make
the ceiling of $50 cents a pound on
domestic raw sugar stand up under
pressure from the producing coun-
tries for higher prices. 1t holds re-
tail refined sugar costs about where
they are. World futures quotations
already exceed that maximum when
freight and duty are considered.
Spain has Just paid 249 cents a
pound for Cuban sugar. Only at 226
cents or less a pound. with freight
of "a cent a pound and duty of 90
of a cent, can Cuban sugar be i'm
ported practically under the ceiling
of $50 cents.
In addition to those charges the
retail price of a pound of sugar in
cludeS a Federal excise tax of .531a
of cent, the reflners' margin of l IL
cents, discount of .1012 of a cent
and the wholesalers and retailers
profit of less than a cent.
Some dealers pointed out that
since price control in this war came
a jump ahead of that of the last war
period. the Government may be able