§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON (Lanarkshire, N.W.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average price of 88 per cent. beet sugar, f.o.b. Hamburg, for the campaign year, 1st October to 30th September, during each of the past ten years; and what were the total beet and cane crops, respectively, in 1901–2 and in 1905–6, respectively.
§ (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The recognised sugar campaign in Europe is from 1st September to 31st August. In view of price fluctuations, I think the most convenient course will be to state the average price for each month of the years referred to in the Question. The following are the particulars as to prices which are asked for (with the qualifications already mentioned in the verbal answer to the hon. Member):—
1005| Monthly Averages of the weekly Quotations per cwt. for 88 per cent. Beet Sugar (German) f.o.b. "off coast for United Kingdom" in each of the Sugar Campaigns from 1896–7 to 1905–6, inclusive.† | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Months. | 1896–7. | 1897–8. | 1898–9. | 1899–1900. | 1900–1. | 1901–2. | 1902–3. | 1903–4. | 1904–5. | 1905–6. | ||||||||||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | |
| September | 8 | 11¼ | 8 | 11 | 9 | 6¾ | 9 | 11¼ | 11 | 2¼ | 7 | 9¾ | 6 | 1¾ | 8 | 6 | 10 | 10½ | 8 | 8¼ |
| October | 8 | 11¾ | 8 | 6½ | 9 | 7¾ | 9 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 1¼ | 8 | 4¾ | 11 | 0 | 8 | 6 |
| November | 9 | 3½ | 8 | 11¼ | 10 | 0 | 9 | 0¾ | 9 | 3¾ | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 2¾ | 13 | 5¾ | 8 | 2½ |
| December | 9 | 0¾ | 9 | 3 | 9 | 10¼ | 9 | 1½ | 9 | 2¾ | 7 | 1¾ | 8 | 1¼ | 8 | 3¾ | 14 | 1 | 8 | 3¾ |
| January | 9 | 2½ | 9 | 2¼ | 9 | 5½ | 9 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 6¾ | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 8¼ | 8 | 2¾ |
| February | 9 | 0 | 9 | 3½ | 9 | 7½ | 9 | 7¾ | 9 | 3¼ | 6 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 4¼ | 8 | 1 |
| March | 9 | 0½ | 9 | 0¾ | 9 | 11½ | 9 | 10¾ | 9 | 1¼ | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4¼ | 8 | 3¼ | 14 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| April | 8 | 8¾ | 9 | 1¾ | 10 | 9¼ | 10 | 5¼ | 8 | 10¾ | 6 | 3¾ | 8 | 7½ | 8 | 6¼ | 13 | 6 | 8 | 5¼ |
| May | 8 | 9¼ | 9 | 6½ | 11 | 2¼ | 10 | 8 | nominal | 6 | 3¼ | 8 | 4¼ | 9 | 4¼ | 12 | 1 | 8 | 0¾ | |
| June | 8 | 7¼ | 9 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 11¾ | 9 | 4¾ | 6 | 1½ | 8 | 0 | 9 | 3¼ | 11 | 9 | 8 | 2¾ |
| July | 8 | 4½ | 9 | 3½ | 10 | 8½ | 11 | 10 | nominal | 6 | 0¼ | 7 | 11¼ | 9 | 7¾ | 10 | 6 | 8 | 6 | |
| August | 8 | 10¼ | 9 | 5¼ | 10 | 4¾ | 12 | 0 | 8 | 1½ | 6 | 1¾ | 8 | 5¼ | 10 | 5¼ | 9 | 7¾ | 9 | 2 |
| † Compiled from Messrs. Czarnikow's Weekly Price Current. |
§ As regards crops, it has to be pointed out that there are no trustworthy estimates of the total production of sugar in such countries as India, China, and certain of the West India Islands, the quantities exported from those countries alone being available. The following figures, which include those exports, appear to be the best crop estimates available:—
| 1901–2. | 1905–6. | |
| Tons. | Tons. | |
| Europe — Beet sugar crops | 6,750,000† | 6,954,000† |
| United States— Beet sugar crops | 103,000‡ | 284,000‡ |
| Cane sugar crops | 4,080,000‡ | 4,906,000‡ |
| 10,993,000 | 12,144,000 |