Rice. There was an appreciable increase in the imports of rice accounted for by the exceptionally large crops gathered during the year both in Siam and Indo China, and the excessive demand from South China owing to the floods and large tracts of rice land not being under cultivation. This again being a local trade, has been unaffected by the war.
Timber. Here an increase is shown which is due to the falling off of stocks at the end of 1914, which have been more than made up this year.
Opium. The clearance of the old stock of certified opium has been proceeding quietly. Imports have come practically entirely from Shanghai. On the 1st October the Opium Suppression Commissioner for the Provinces of Kwang Tung, Kiang Si and Kiang Su came to an agreement with the merchants forming the Opium Combine to purchase the whole of the stock of certified opium then lying in Hongkong. The export of certified opium is now therefore confined to deliveries to the Kwang Tung Government.
Imports,... Exports,. Malwa. Chests. Patna. Chests. Benares. Chests. Total. Chests. 125 607 45 12 182 371 147 1,125Eight hundred and fifty-two (852) chests of Persian opium were imported and 856 exported, the destination being either London or Formosa. 839 chests of uncertified Indian opium were imported from India, of which 500 chests were exported to Macao. The remainder was for the use of the Government Opium Monopoly. The table below shows the total imports and exports since 1908:-
1915. 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. Stock in hand on 1st January. Chests. Chests. Chests. Chests. Chests. Chests. Chests. Chests. 2,250 4,580 5,560 7,587 7,123 4,509 5,808 1,707 Imported during the year, 1,873 3,059 9,108 12,361 21,286 31,743 35,734 £1,821 Total,... 4,129 7,640 14,668 19,948 28,409 36,252 41,542 46,528 Boiled by Opium Farmer, 36 067 1,113 761 782 1,011 $61 Boiled by Government. 340 413 Spurious Opium destroyed. 17 19 2 14 51 247 Missing or stolen, 4 2 9 Exported during the year, 2,469 4,911 9,419 13,264 20,061 28,333 35,938 39,609 Total....... 2,826 5,383 10,088 14,388 20,822 29,129 37,033 Stock remaining on 31st December,..] 1,303 2,256 4,580 5,560 7,587 7,123 4,509 5,808