Tobacco
Media
Part of The American Chamber of Commerce Journal
- Title
- Tobacco
- Language
- English
- Source
- The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume XXV (No. 4) April 1949
- Year
- 1949
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- April, 1949 AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL________ 163 sumers were displaying no interest. Non-Davao of ferings were small and prices nominal. Relatively little non-Davao business was done during the period. SCAP bought both Davao and non-Davao grades quite heavily on the decline. Purchases made by SCAP of non-Davao G and JI were made at prices cheaper than those which exporters had to pay in the provinces to obtain their fiber. This would be under standable if SCAP bought for forward shipment, but their purchases are for prompt shipment. At no time did SCAP purchases of non-Davao G and JI re flect the provincial values of these grades. Demand from Europe was scattered, but was probably up to the level of the past two months. The following nominal provincial values on March 15 illustrate the trend of prices over the period. Per Picul Basis Loose Davao I . . . P62.50 — Down P6.50 per picul from February 15 Davao J1 . 61.00 — ” 6.50 ” Davao G . . 55.00 — ” 5.00 " Non-Davao I 64.50 — ” 0.50 ” Non-Davao G 47.00 — ” 0.50 ” Non-Davao K 28.00 — ” 1.00 ” New York quotations on March 15: Per lb. C.I.F. Neiv York Davao I . . . . 281/->(1— Down l1,if1 per lb. from February 15 Davao JI . . . 28 Vat1 — ” Hit1............................. Davao G . . . . 25% ” I’hC ” ” ” ” ” Non-Davao I . 29<* — ” lit1 ” ” ” ” ” Non-Davao G. 22 ” ” ” ” ” Non-Davao K. 15f — ” %<* ” ” ” ” ” Production for February, 1949, was 45,841 bales — a decrease of 956 bales from January, 1949. NonDavao balings totaled 30,578 bales — up 3,009 bales from January. Davao balings were 15,263 bales — down 3,965 bales from January. Tobacco By the Conde de Churruca President, Manila Tobacco Association THE Tobacco News for January brings the fol lowing information from the United States. “Cigarette exports for the first 9 months of 1948 totalled 18,176,000,000 pieces valued at $49,252,000, compared with 16,688,000,000 pieces with a valuation of $43,628,000 for the January-September, 1947, period. The increase in shipments may be attributed to growing demand in many foreign countries for American-type blended cigarettes. “The chief market outlets for United States cigarettes during the first 9 months of 1948 were: the Republic of the Philippines which purchased 8,225,000,000 pieces; Belgium and Luxemburg, 1,405,000,000; Curacao, 884,000,000; Tangier, 715,000,000; and Switzerland, 615,000,000." We quote these figures because they emphasize the importance of this Republic, a natural tobacco producing country, as a consumer of imported ciga rettes. We have reason to believe that most of the ciga rettes imported are the higher priced brands which are selling at over P3.50 per thousand, and consequent ly do not seriously compete at the moment with the local cigarettes, most of which sell at lower prices. The average sale of local cigarettes is about 1,440,000,000, a year, as compared to the 10,000,When home is uncomfortably warm, a PHILCO air-conditioner is really welcome for cool, comfor table ventilation. PHILCO gives you cleaner, fresher air with less noise! You find it difficult to work when hot and list less ... a PHILCO air-conditioner brings you a constant, gentle flow of refreshing air. In of fices, windows can be closed eliminating dust. Work is a pleasure! PHILCO Single-Room AIR CONDITIONERS PHII.CO MODEL 91-C. A new single-room conditioner in a beautiful walnut console. Ample power to serve lurge living rooms and offices up to 500 square feet maximum. The Store of Quality 454 DasmariAas 16th & Atlanta Sts., Port Area Tels. 2-79-78 & 2-79-79 Tel. 2-94-89 164 AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL April, 1949 000,000 which would be the approximate imports for 12 months. It is out of the question to expect manufacturers to supply any important part of this total volume, not even (at the moment) the 30% cut effected by the Import Control Board. It will take a long time to supply them with enough native yellow and Virginiatype tobacco to absorb a part of the market, and this being the case, they will continue to be obliged to im port American leaf tobacco or to bring about a change in the smokers, preference for yellow as against the native type. If we, manufacturers, could double our output, which would mean a cut of less than 20 c/o in the pre sent imports, nobody would be hurt; eventual changes could be adjusted to slowly and progressively. But we at least insist on maintaining our output at no lower a volume than it is, and this will not be pos sible if cheap cigarettes keep pouring into the country, elbowing us out of the scant 20% of the total sales now covered by us. In all fairness, this is not much to ask, and we believe it would be to the interest of the importers to respect our rights in our market. Already the Government is taking certain meas ures, even to its own inconvenience as it will deprive it of much-needed revenue. Even the workers are aware that our factories cannot keep on competing unless rtiore processes are mechanized and the cost of pro duction is lowered. As for us, manufacturers and businessmen, we have in mind, in the first place, the welfare of our workers and farmers and also the necessity of coope rating with the Government, but this does not mean that we want to put the importers out of business. We are not like the dog in the manger, and if we cannot supply the smokers’ demand for the yellow to bacco of the well known brands, the importers are wel come to the market. Luckily, there is no serious com petition between these brands and our locally manu factured cigarettes. But the cheaper brands, which in spite of their selling in the United States at over $14 a case (factory price), are shipped here at $12.50, c.i.f. Manila, can really harm us, and it is our duty to protect the local business. We appreciate sincerely the efforts which the Sec retaries of Commerce and of Finance are making in this connection, and also the concern shown by the Collector of Internal Revenue. We understand their their position and their desire to help local industry without discriminating against imported products. We are hoping that a solution will be arrived at which will not hurt anybody’s established business. The day may come when the local manufacturers and farmers will have to take over practically the whole market. This is happening in one country after another, but the change could not be sudden; it would take plenty of time. Existing business does not have to worry about the near future, and it will have a good chance to adjust itself progressively to any changes. Automobiles and Trucks By Harold Helling General Motors Corporation THE United States automobile manufacturers as sembled, during the week of January 17-22, 109,929 units to counter the pessimists who see omens of an automobile-industry depression. 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