A 408
|
کھو
SANTUAO
wise exports of Chinese produce at 2.7 million dollars, as against 5.4 million dollars. Agricultural and commercial conditions are somewhat better than Customs statistics would indicate, for decreased imports and exports by steamers are partly due to diversion of trade to land routes and to junks. There was a noticeable tendency during 1935 for cargo between near-by districts and Foochow to move by more direct routes--in either direction-without passing Santuao. This tendency has been specially noteworthy as regards the export of tea and the import of kerosene and cigarettes. In the case of green tea exports it was partly caused by the diversion of steamer trade to junks, following rumours that the interport duty was about to be..abolished and consequent fears that green tea paying duty before the date of such abolition would have to compete with duty-free tea afterwards. In consequence of this rumour and of suppression of piracy along the coast, junk shipments of tea increased by 15,000 quintals, and steamer shipments decreased by over, 30,000 quintals. The year is reported to have been unprofitable for tea growers and merchants. Government experts have recently visited near-by tea districts with a view to improving tea growing and marketing methods. Among the staple articles, moving coastwise, whose import increased by junk and decreased by steamer were foreign matches, salt fish, and sulphate of ammonia; also Chinese wheat flour. Similarly, among exports, tea oil, 3rd quality paper, and earthenware decreased by steamer and increased by junk. Under present conditions it is quite possible that this tendency of trade to prefer junk to steamer will continue and increase. This diversion of trade from duty-paying steamers to free-moving junks occasioned a heavy decrease in the 1935 Santuao revenue, which approximated less than 40 per cent. of the average annual revenue during the six previous years. The success of the stringent measures of 1935 against opium-growing is reflected in the decreased import of chemical fertilisers, which in turn occasioned fewer steamers from Hongkong and lower totals for direct imports from abroad. In the districts near Santuao, as in other parts of China, Government tariff and preventive measures are operating to foster the domestic sugar industries. There has been a noteworthy increase in sugar-growing, and lands that were formerly under poppy are now under sugar cane. Brown sugar is manufactured by crude methods in hundreds of small mills up country, some using water power and some still depending on grinding machinery turned by buffaloes. Very little of the resulting sugar will appear in Customs statistics, for it will be consumed in this and near-by districts, where it is helping to drive smuggled sugars out of the market. Loss of northern markets has adversely affected the local paper, tea, and pottery industries. The effects have been felt most severely in the pottery industry, which has been established on this inlet for two centuries, and formerly exported rice-bowls north by the million. Now only a few furnaces are work- ing, the potters are destitute, and even the hulk used for storing pottery awaiting shipment has been removed from this harbour... The molybdenum mine opened in the previous year in Ningteh () district has ceased working and is not expected to reopen. Five banks in ncar-by towns went bankrupt, causing losses to the holders of irredeemable bank-notes of their issue. Foo- chow's new coast road north is expected to reach this district; within a year or two, but this expectation is perhaps unduly optimistic in view of the engineering and other difficulties involved. This welcome improvement will bring Santuao and neighbouring towns within a few hours of Foochow. The coming of this road will tend to divert the tea trade back to the historic land route, thus diminishing Santuao's tea trade and revenue, but the general effects should aid the development of port and district. At the end of 1935 Santuaó finally achieved long-distance telephone communication with Foochow and other Fukien cities.
1
VA
:
4
·