Imports

Media

Part of The American Chamber of Commerce Journal

Title: Imports
Creator: Kramer, Louis
Language: English
Year: 1950
Rights
Fulltext: February, 1950 AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL 73 were 25,027 bales—up 9,941 bales from November and up 9,091 bales from December, 1948. Total pressings for 1949 were 513,720 bales or 63,744 bales less than in 1948 and 273,045 bales less than in 1947. The decline in balings in 1949 from balings in 1948 results from a decrease of 81,708 bales in the pressings of NonDavao hemp as against an increase of 17,964 bales in the pressings of Davao hemp. Tobacco By Luis A. Pujalte Secretary-Treasurer, Manila Tobacco Association THE local tobacco industry is again coming to life with the expansion of the manufacture of Virginiatype cigarettes. Capital appears eager to go into this promising field and new factories are already opening. It is important, however, that all those who enter it .give careful attention to the quality of the cigarettes they will put out. So far, the main effort has been concentrated on producing low-priced products, when a medium- and high-quality Virginia-type cigarette would have been as profitable and perhaps more so. I said in my previous article that the tobacco in dustry had been greatly neglected by the Government, and one form of this neglect is the apparent indifference of the authorities to the need of stamping out the illicit manufacture of tobacco products. This illicit manufacture was negligible before the war, but became an industry during the Japanese occupation and has since persisted. It constitutes a great detriment to bonafide manufacturers not only because of the big tax-differential they have to overcome in competing with the illicit manufacturers but because in many cases even their brands are imitated. It is estimated that the Government has annually been losing around P3,000,000 in tax revenue on this account, and unless something is done about the matter, the loss will become much greater because the import control is naturally resulting in increased activity on the part of these illicit as well as the legitimate manufacturers. A few weeks ago, manufacturers were asked to attend a hearing at the Department of Finance on a proposal to increase the specific tax on cigarettes in order to help meet the decrease in revenue from imported cigarettes. The local manufacturers voiced their old grievance as to the rampant illicit manufacture and pointed out that though they were not in principle opposed to a just and equitable increase in this tax, if this were resorted to without first eradicating the illicit manufacture, it would make this even more profitable than it is now. The higher tax-rate might well result in the total ruin of legitimate manufac turers and bring about still greater government revenue losses instead of an increase in revenue. The Government should take decisive action in this matter of suppressing the illicit manufacture, in its own direct interest as well as in the interest of law-abiding and tax-paying industrialists and thousands of workers. At present, only the illicit manufacturer, like the “boot legger” of prohibition times, stands to gain by any hasty move of the Government in raising the tax-rate. NOTE:—Malabon and Caloocan, both very near Manila, are said to be the Imports By Louis S. Kraemer Vice-President, Mercantile, Inc. •HE New York Journal of Commerce on January 19, 1950, carried an article on Philippine Import Control which, in part, ran as follows: ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT r> & SUPPLY COMPANY, Inc. MACHINERY • MECHANICAL SUPPLIES • ENGINEERS • CONTRACTORS AIR CONDITIONING For Offices, Theatres, Hospitals, Stores, Restaurants, Hotels, Clubs and Homes ★ ★ ★ Suppliers of MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT and INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES For Sugar Centrals, Mines, Sawmills, Power Plants, Machine Shops and All Industrial Plants ★ ★ ★ ENGINEERING — DESIGN — APPLICATION — ESTIMATES INSTALLATION — MAINTENANCE — SERVICE — REPAIRS ★ ★ ★ Operating: General & Sales Office 1 74 M. de Comillas Manila Tel. 3-29-21 MACHINE SHOPS • STEEL PLATE SHOPS STRUCTURAL STEEL SHOPS • WELDING SHOPS • BLACKSMITH SHOPS • SHEET METAL SHOPS • MARINE RAILWAY Engineering Shops No. 1 Calle L. Segura & Pasig River Mandaluyong, Rizal Tel. 6-65-68 74 AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL February, 1950 “The underlying factors which brought about the predicament of the Philippines in respect to its trade position arc varied and com plex, E. F. Koch, vice president, Philippine American Chamber of Com merce, yesterday told the annual meeting of the association. “Regardless of the causes, he stated, we are facing an extremely confused situation which has for the present at least undermined con fidence in the Philippines as an attractive field for the investment of capital and for other commercial operations. The mere removal of recently invoked controls and a flexible attitude on the part of the Philippine Government toward such liberal modifications as may be justified will be of some temporary help. “The basic need is further constructive long-range planning in which both the Philippines and the United States should participate, including representatives of business from both countries. A more favorable climate should be created in the Philippines to attract the investment of private capital.” The writer through the nature of his business, is in constant touch with many of Manila’s leading businessmen and has at no time heard anyone scoff at the necessity of controls of some sort, at least temporarily, as all are aware that a nation cannot exist on an economy where the imports exceed the exports by two to one. It has recently become apparent that Government officials are coming to the realization that the suggestions and recommendations of businessmen are not altogether selfish and are beginning to gradually revise the various regulations in accordance with recommendations which have been made. It appears to be only now realized that import and export trade is a highly specialized business and that the repercussions of artificial controls are felt way beyond the Manila waterfront in so far as the trade is con cerned and are felt way beyond the trade in so far as national prestige and economic stability are concerned. Fundamentally, the Philippines is a very wealthy country in natural resources and in potentialities of agri cultural production. It is hoped that the negative approach toward a balanced economy through import controls will be replaced by the positive approach of increased exportproduction and production for domestic use. In substantiating the possibilities of thus offsetting imports, we give the following figures covering certain commodities which, in time, and if the proper effort were made, could just as well be produced in the Philippines in sufficient quantities for home consumption and even ad ditional quantities for export. 1949 1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr. Total Fresh Eggs (chicken and duck) ................ .. cases. 117,105 87,155 72,790 73,733 350,783 Fresh Fish........... m/tons 102 21 12 36 170 Fresh Potatoes... 3,171 2,114 2,705 3,120 11,110 Fresh Carrots... . 5 2 11 24 41 Fresh Cauliflower 7 6 10 12 34 Fresh Garlic........ 102 613 705 631 2,051 Pkgd. Peanuts.. . 43 46 18 — 107 Pkgd. Salt............ 10 30 33 46 120 Bulk Salt............. 1,198 2,540 300 175 147 1,819 Bulk Coffee Beans ” 556 1,200 1,881 6,176 Bulk Rice............. 114 30,287 62,848 34,864 128,113 Bulk Corn............ 138 14 48 34 23 Bulk Peanuts.. . . 1 18 14 4 34 A ll figures shown below are in kilos with the exception **■ of foodstuffs which are given in package units (except the figure for the total). December December Com modi ties 1949 1948 Automotive (Total)........................ 1,300,331 3,217,601 Automobiles.................................. 402,882 1,296,401 Auto Accessories......................... 4,469 19,089 ” Parts.................................... .. .. 318,622 331,411 Bicycles........................................... . . . . 93,087 32,844 Trucks............................................. . . . . 27,963 9,252 Truck Chassis............................... 229,446 465,700 Building Materials (Total)........... .... 24,486,545 17,781,791 Board, Fibre......................... 185,259 178,504 Cement............................................ .... 20,321,593 14,217,193 INSULAR LUMBER COMPANY FABRICA, OCC. NEGROS ------------¥-----------SPECIALISTS IN KILN DRIED LUMBER and MANUFACTURERS OF BOXES OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS MAM LA DISTRIBUTORS: Norton & Harrison Company D. C. Chuan & Sons, Inc. Insular Saw Mill, Inc. 814 Echague 14-30 Soler St. 340 Canonigo, Paco Manila Manila Manila MAM LA OFFICE-. 401 FILIPINAS BUILDING February, 1950 AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL 75 Fixtures, Bathroom and Kitchen.. . 372,640 Glass Misc............................................... 43,063 Plumbing Misc...................................... 32,528 Chemicals, (Total)................................... 10,474,703 Caustic Soda.......................................... 930,897 Explosives (Total).................................... 25,587 Firearms, NOS (Total)........................... 16,437 Ammunition........................................... 9,699 Hardware (Total)..................................... 6,220,499 Household (Total).................................... 2,694,251 Machinery (Total)................................... 2,029,009 Metals (Total)............................................ 11,244,256 Petroleum Products (Total).................. 92,406,798 Radios (Total)............................................ 137,067 Rubber Goods (Total)............................. 1,106,441 928,908 433,913 77,801 10,519,864 561,593 27,891 38,581 27,442 4,779,146 3,171,443 1,733,688 7,892,589 95,049,656 99,336 858,334 Paper (Total)............................................. 5,375,132 3,243,480 Photographic (Total).................... ......... 81,710 47,352 Sporting Goods (Total)............... ......... 58,820 51,563 Stationery (Total)......................... ......... 428,315 220,833 Tobacco (Total)........................................ 1,606,405 2,447,541 Beverages, Misc. Alcoholic.................... 26,585 Foodstuffs (Total kilos).......................... 39,600,707 Foodstuffs, NOS (Total)...................... 30,419 Foodstuffs, Fresh (Total)....................... 271,296 Apples...................................................... 100,915 Oranges.................................................... 11,749 Onions...................................................... 20,992 Potatoes................................................... 30,844 Foodstuffs, Dry Packaged (Total).. . . 111,219 Foodstuffs, Canned (Total).................... 620,317 Sardines................................................... 203,447 Milk, Evaporated................................. 133,792 Milk, Condensed.................................. 25,600 Foodstuffs, Bulk (Total)........................ 504,484 Rice.......................................................... 37,594 Wheat Flour........................................... 404,568 Foodstuffs, Preserved (Total)............... 3,955 40,134 40,888,957 14,362 301,219 69,046 50,958 44,142 18,293 158,889 378,099 41,826 111,532 19,500 524,718 71,897 345,114 3,728 Chuchcria (Total).................................... 205,459 149,287 Clothing Apparel (Total) (Including men’s, women’s and children’s)............................................. 552,505 681,283 Cosmetics (Total)..................................... 73,908 358,397 Fabrics (Total).......................................... 455,250 1,082,184 Jewelry (Total).......................................... 52 284 Leather (Total)......................................... 257,530 270,958 Textiles (Total)......................................... 5,584,147 4,527,003 Twine (Total)............................................ 161,466 36,416 Toys (Total).............................................. 140,825 189,936 General Merchandise (Total)............... 870,016 393,203 Non-Commercial Shipments (Total). . 52,038 86,536 Advertising Materials, Etc. (Total).. . 997,034 544,775 —Robot Statistics Bottling, Misc. (Total)........................... 1,649,544 Unit — 129,798 (1948) Unit — 127,955 (1949) Christmas Decorations (Total).............. 7,181 Cleansing and Laundry (Total)............. 565,085 Entertainment Equipment (Total). . . 11,912 Livestock — Bulbs — Seeds (Total).. 3,727 Medical (Total).............................. 600,903 Musical (Total)............................. 222,589 Office Equipment (Total)........... 215,375 Office Supplies (Total)................. 120,796 1,723,580 31,232 934,019 14,823 22,662 365,747 122,784 219,792 47,756 Food Products By Morton Hearn Getz Bros. & Co., Inc . JANUARY saw a steady increase in retail prices of im ported food items, due to importers’ inability to re plenish their dwindling stocks and consumers’ over buying against shortages. Import houses reported a heavy reduction in inventories despite rationing to dealers. The two items most seriously affected were milk and coffee. Pricewise, milk did not advance as rapidly as other consumer goods, but stocks became quickly exhausted. Coffee, reacting to high Stateside prices, increased in cost at retail stores and the choice of brands became very much restricted. Tinned fruits have become particularly scarce, as did also fresh oranges and apples. Fresh Stateside vegetables PERSONALLY H YOURS. The AU A'eiv REMINGTON RAND Personal Portable Typewriter gives you a typing thrill that you will never forget, once you try those exclusive finger-fit, one-piece quality plastic keys, positioned as in the regular standard typewriter. . . Ideal for use in the home, in the office, for young students, and for travelling. . . Yours, exclusively, with thirty plus values, and in a New DeLuxe Carry ing Case. . . Truly portable, weighing only 20 ^4 lbs., including the case. . . Try them today. . ! THE BUSINESS THAT SERVES ALL BUSINESS Exclusive Representatives TAYLOR PACIFIC (Phil.] LTD. ATKINS KROLL & CO., INC.-Gen. 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