The rice industry

Title

The rice industry

Creator

Hill, Percy A.

Language

English

Source

The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume XVII (Issue No.4) April 1937

Year

1937

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

44 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL April, 1937 Copra............. (Continued from' page. JI) is fortunate that this demand came into the market because New York prices slipped during the second half of the month owing to large offerings of Palm Kernel Oil for future ship ments, said offerings amounting to as much as perhaps 50,000 tons. Large soapers covered themselves liberally with Palm Kernel at prices lower than they would have had to pay for coco nut oil, which spells more trouble for Philip pine coconut oil in the second half year with the market fairly well covered in advance. It is reported that Palm Oil has already been, sold into 1938. Statistics for the month follow: Shipments— Met . Tons Pacific Coast.................................... 1,958 Atlantic Coast................................ 7,493 Gulf Ports....................................... 508 China and Japan........................... 15 Tot al......................................... 9,974 Beginning of End of Month Month Stocks on hand in Manila and Cebu....... Met. Tons Met. Tons 9,139 11,506 Copra Cake and Meal—Copra cake took a good spurt in March. This was rather un anticipated, for usually March-April-May are the bad months for selling copra cake. This year, however, in spite of the fact that the freight rate on copra cake will advance 3 shillings on May 1st, prices have been on the upgrade and the f.o.b. equivalent advanced in March from P40.00 f.o.b. to very nearly P50.00 for ship ments up to and including August. Hamburg prices advanced to $34.00 c.i.f. Copra meal to the United States was also in fair demand, but space was very short and buyers could not get any adequate space cover prior to the second half of May. Meal sold up to $29.50 per short ton c.i.f. for spread shipments D R Y s E A L S Superior Qualify Dependable Service RING UP 2-18-01 the next time you need a Rubber Stamp or Dry Seal and our Salesman will call Tifc/^rrr r tt 1U/K PRINTING COMPANY >---S VvT’-f JL Sales Office: 2nd Floor IOI Escolfa R u B B E R s T A M P S to July. It is likely that May shipments of copra meal to the West Coast will be very heavy, which may depress prices at that time. Statistics for the month follow: Shipments— Met. Tons Pacific Coast................. 2,943 Atlantic Coast.............................. 686 Europe........................................... 3,301 'lot al......................................... 7,663 Beginning of End of Month Month Stock on hand in Met. Tons Met. Tons Manila and Cebu....... 7,814 7,960 Desiccated Coconut—Shipments of desic cated for March were high, totalling 3,938 metric tons. Prices in New York ruled unchanged at 8-3/4 cents, but it is expected that these prices will be advanced the first of April to 10 cents April-June shipments. Ceylon desiccated is being offered in New York markets at the equi valent of around 10 cents or a little more after paying duty, thus reflecting the weak position of Ceylon copra in the world market. Local mills are finding less difficulty in obtaining nuts but. are still short and local production is handi capped accordingly. With prices in the United States tending to increase, and with the copra prices in the Philippines likely to decrease in a month or two, the position of desiccated copra looks better. Vegetable Lard—While it is impossible to obtain statistics regarding the production and distribution of Vegetable Lard in the Philip pines, yet there is no doubt that this business has been on the upgrade for the past two years. During the period of high copra prices, however, the cost of this lard has increased to such an extent that retail prices have been out of the reach of the small consumer, and sales volume has declined radically since the first of the year. It is evident that Vegetable Lard, while a sub stantial business when prices are reasonable, is very much subject to price fluctuation and con sequent increase and decrease in demand. General—Predictions for the future of copra and oil prices are dangerous. We still hold to our belief that supplies will be short for Manila until the middle of the year, but will be consid erably better in Cebu. For the second half year we believe supplies will be adequate in both places, although Manila may be shorter than last year. The very weak tendency of the fats and oils in Europe is having its effect on local prices and we anticipate weak markets from now on to the middle of the year with oc casional little flurries of no particular impor tance. For the second half year, we anticipate low prices all around. Philippine copra producers and oil mills are watching with interest negotiations in Washing ton between the Commonwealth Government and the Government of the United States look ing toward the stabilization of trade relations between the two countries over the next ten years. Coconuts should play an important part in these discussions and the four million people in the Islands interested directly in the coconut industry have the right to have their problems seriously considered and solved in a manner which will allow them to continue to earn a livelihood. THE RICE INDUSTRY By PERCY A. HII.L of Munoz, Nueva Ecija Director, Rice Producer's Association Prices for both rice and palay have stif fened as predicted in last report. The offerings for luxury grades from P5.30 to 1*5.75 per sack of 56.5 kilos, with palay of that grade from P2.40 to P2.60 per cavan of 44 kilos. Macans bring from 1*5.20 to P5.60 with palay of that grade from 1*2.35 to P2.40. It may be that the increase is premature as the crop is pretty well disposed of by sales and deposits. There have been reports of the NARIC re ducing price offerings of palay mainly with the idea of disposing of such Saigon stocks as remain unsold. This taken with the buying of palay in distant regions of low production and high transportation charges, all go t o show that the Corporation faces the same identical problems as those faced by all business concerns engaged in the industry. One of the main problems to be solved by the NARIC is in the nature of the quantity x. This is what recovery can be expected for tne purchased cereal. This knowledge varies with the region of production, the variety of rice and the growing season and harvest—all in escapable factors—and which this year are entirely favorable. Upon the accuracy of the knowledge depends profit, or loss. Five thousand cavans of, say—Inapostol—produced in Tarlac will not yield the same recovery as an equal IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL April, 1937 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL 45 amount produced in Nueva Ecija for example. A favorable seasonal growth in one section is ofteD offset by an unfavorable season in another dealing with the same varieties of palay. Gen eral averages are governed by many factors in attempting to apply general averages in any one ycar-crop, in guaging the net recovery. The variable factors apply in all countries as well as the Islands. In Siam the net recovery is placed as high as 70%, in Saigon, or rather Cholon stocks as 68%, and in the Islands it rarely averages 66% for the best grades falling as low as 52% on poor grades and poor seasons. There is a vast field of unacquired knowledge to be obtained in our foremost domestic industry, which the so-called scientists have simply ignor ed, probably thru sheer inability to realize any thing other than the alphabetical suffix and the monthly payroll. There is no data as to the thickness and thinless of the hull, or the effect of mineral fertilizers on the texture and content of the grain, or the vitamin increase that would seem to follow such application. Nor is any thing thought of but the 100 to 1 shot of pro duction by exotic varieties that rarely thrive under ordinary field conditions which exist here. The silly nomenclature of “rice-breeding” stations, or so-called experimental farms, whose product rarely comes up to that produced on adjoining lands cultivated by “ignorant” farm ers, are just painted mechanisms more or less, serving no useful purpose except for those on the pay-roll. The only remedy for this is to either produce results—or get out—an aphorism we opine that cannot be applied to present usages. Pl,315,939 Quiapo.................... — 152,300 San Miguel............ 16,038 13,640 Intramuros............. 32,500 5.000 Pandacan............... 1,613 — Sta. Mesa.............. — 14,400 1’2,383,287 Specie Bank Nets 7,500,000 Yen The 1936 semi-annual report July-December of the Yokohama Specie Bank, Ltd., shows a year’s net profit of Yen 17,458,920 inclusive of Yen 10,446,652 brought forward from the previous report. Yen 1,750,000 were added to reserve and a 10%dividend absorbing P5,000,000 declared, carrying Yen 10.708,920 forward to the credit of the next account. The report reflects the continuing prosperity of Japan’s marine commerce with which the Specie bankis so intimately associated. That home and garden which you always dreamed of— SAN JUAN HEIGHTS is the best place for it. New Steam Laundry Monserrat Enteq>rises Co. Ltd. are the company who at long last dare establishing a steam laundry in competition with the excellent ly managed one Manila already had, the Sanitary Steam Laundry. Monserrat’s is on the same street, too calle Arlegui. It is described as modern in every respect, the name, Silver Cross Steam Laundry. Monserrat’s main interest has been its Yellow Cab service, which expanded with purchase of the N. & B. Garage and Molina Truck into«a more general service. There’s a deal of service required from a laundry nble to hold the trade. With Manila households it’s always a toss-up whether to “send it out” or consign it to the mercy of the household lavandera. The latter usually wins, often at the household’s cost. No doubt the field for the laundry business expands because of the growing apartment-house and hotel trude. REAL ESTATE By P. D. CARMAN Addition Hills One very large sale in Santa Cruz puts the March total beyond that of any similar month since 1931. Even with out this sale the total exceeds March sales in 1932, 1934 and 1936. The first-quarter totals during the past five years were as follows: 1933 ................................................... P3,085,143 1934 .................................................. 3,223,239 1935 .................................................. 3,769,487 1936 .................................................. 3,604,043 1937 .................................................. 5,143,955 Sta. Cruz................. Sampaloc.................. Tondo....................... B inondo.................... San Nicolas.............. Ermita...................... Malate...................... Paco.......................... Sta. Ana................... Salta City o/ Manila February March 1937 1937 P 165,058 Pl,499,743 43.103 112,517 29,330 51,960 684,236 40,001 1,500 201,912 46,770 160,831 169,182 57,115 87,824 31,430 38,785 42,438 SAN JUAN HEIGHTS CO., INC. 680 Ave. Rizal P. O. Box 961 Tel. 2-15-01 MANILA IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL

pages

44-45

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