THE CHINA MAIL BRITISH INDUSTRIES. FAIR SUPPLEMENT, SATURDAY, MAY 1,,, 1948.
History Of The Preserved Ginger Industry
For over one hundred years sume exports. Difficulties were ginger preserving has been one) numerous during the early day of the Colony's leading industries and exports, particularly to the employing many thousands of United Kingdom, were held op considerable time whic local workers and exporting gin-for
negotiations, mainly
The Chy Loong Ginger Factory, established in 1821, formed the nucleus from which ила alice grown ten other factorles, many of them now installed with mo- dern and hygienic equipment.
4
was
REGD. TRADE MARK
ger, preserved in syrup or cry-protracted stallised in sugar, to all parts of concerning supplies of sugar and the world.
celling prices, were carried out. Duc, however,-to-the-most-active support given by the Department of Supplies, Trade and Industry and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce represent- ing merchant exporters, the first consignment of 3,000 casks shipped to the United Kingdom In 1938, a syndicate-The Hong early in 1947. The ginger indus- Kong Preserved Ginger, Distribu-try owes much to these and other fors, Ltd.--was formed by Mr. bottles for their help and guidance factories U Tat Chee, the Colony's "Ginger in rehabilitating their King," to weld together the var- and recommencing their exports. ious independent undertakings, to The following extracts from the regulate exports, to improve 1940 Report of the Hong Kong quality and to standardise prices. | General Chamber of Commerce Research carried out by this as describes the various negotiations sociation on behalf of the eleven which took place during the year: member factories resulted in bat ter quality products, lower over- head costs and a consequent in- crease in exports. Member, Brms of the 'syndicate with their dates of establishment are as follows:--
'Man Loong Ginger Factory
(1840).
China Ginger Preserving Co.,
Ltd. (1885).
Chy Loong Ginger Factory
(1821).
Sze Sun Ginger Factory (1694). Lun On Ginger Factory (1995). Yau Loong Ginger Factory
(1889).
Nam Wah Ginger Preserving
Co., (1810).
Tung Fong Ginger Factory
(1868).
Choy Heung Ginger Factory
(1880)..
Yue Loong Ginger Factory
(1882).
Tal Lee Ginger Factory (1913).
to
"In June 1946 "the London Chamber of Commerce advised that the Ministry of Food was considering the importation of ginger and wished have particulars of quotations, quality and stocks available. This information which dealt only with old crop ginger was collected and transmitted 10 London, prices being very much higher than pre-war owing to vastly increased costs-of-ma- terial, fuel and labour.
"It was pointed out that this Industry had existed in Hong Kong ever since the foundation of the Colony, and it was hoped that the Ministry of Food would find it possible to permit a small importation of ginger, more for the moral effect than for any profits which preser- vers "might make."
As a result of this and other: The_raw ginger is grown 1 representations, and after adjust- Kwangtung and is collected be- ments in ceiling prices, licences. tween the months of August and were granted to importers in pro- October when the stems are must portion to their pre-war trade, about 3,000 tender. It is a perennial herb and early in 1047
been booked. This grown only in the tropical coun- 'rasks had
in the tries of the world, and hus, a decision was described large horizontal. rhizome, or Chamber's Report as a happy re- underground stem. It is the salt which meant that encourage” rhizome and not, as is commonly ment had been given to all con- believed, the root that is edible.cerned in the rehabilitation of a After harvesting the rhizomes long-established' industry. are selected, washed and scraped
These shipments represented no and later preserved in casks for commercial use or in attractive more than a fraction of the pre- war exports to the London mar- coloured jars for domestic con- sumption. In recent years, much ket, and negotiations were con- of the crap has been crystallised tinued during 1947 with the re- and is used in the manufacture sult that, during July, the United agreed to of various sweetments. Normally Kingdom Authorities He giger is grown in the further shipments to a total of Colony itself, but lately, due to 3,204 cases being made at prices difficulties m exchange and un- somewhat lower than those of certainty of supplies, more has the initial, shipment. This quotu been planted and a larger crop was inmediately taken up. harvested.
When the new crop ginger came According to the National Geo- along, there was a sharp fall in graphic Society, ginger is one of the costs of production, largely the "big five" that normally make due to the exchange rate prevali- up nine-tenths the trade ing for the C. N. Dollar at the volume of the twenty-five spices.time, and Mr. U Tat Chice, It was introduced into England the Chairman of The Hong as early as the fifteenth century Kong Preserved Ginger ** Dis- when it was used in the manu- tributors, Lid,, was able to quotes incture of the popular ginger on behalt of all the local breads fashioned into various factories, prices as much as 30, per shapes and letters of the alphabet. cent. below the ceilings set by It is believed that King Henry The Ministry of Food in London VIII included ginger in a recipe and these offers were transmitted which he sent to the Lord Mayor to London during August 1947. of Londen as a remedy against
*.
the plogues then ravaging the As a consequence, the Ministry city. Its uses as a medicine, how of Food authorized further ship ever, have long been known ments of up to 20,000 casks to be among the Chinese, and is highly made during the season · criding praised for its curative powers. It June 1948. -ja-mere-modernly employed in the manufacture of various contec- tioneries and. sweetmeats, seasoner for pot roast and other meals.
Some complaints-were- recóived. from buyers of the earlier ship- ments that there had been faulty packing, and that ari, appreclable number of casks had leaked, with a resultant loss of syrup. Reme- dial measures were taken at once by the Ginger Association and better quality Imported staves and hoop-iron has since been used in the manufacture of casks which, together with an improved meta hod of packing, resulted in a con- siderably Improved out-turn of the later shipments.
For many years past the United Kingdom has been the major im- porter of Hong Kong ginger and between the years of 1928 and 1936 imported an annual average of ginger "preserved in syrup, or Laugar" blege of over 72.000 eat
approximately 2/11ths pound per person,,
During the Japanese occupa tion of the Colony, the Industry, in, common with others, buffered Special packing orders-part- considerably. Most of the faccularly a to Chinese buyers in tories were scaled by the occupy- Canada and America--carried out ing forces, stocks and equipment by the various member factories were confiscated, and several were during the year amounted to a damaged by bomba. Fortimately, value of approximately $580,000, --the original-Chy Loong Factory bringing the total exports for 1947.
received only superficial damage up to nearly 34,000,000. from Icendiaries.
Rehabilitation work progressed" These figures do not include -rapidly—however, after the re- the donation of 10,000 tiha made Occupation in 1945, and by the end by the Ginger Distributorg to "the" (of: 1946. factories, were ugnih "Food Parcals to Britain Fund”) opernting-and-In a position to re-in November.“
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Page H
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