PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
זווּן
Reference :-
LICO. 882
9
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
MAURITIUS R+YAL, COMMISSIOs, 1909.
Mr A. WALTER.
110
17 August 1989
¡Continued
the cost of
The cost of growing 100 tons of cane according to these returns varies from Rs 400 to Rs 1,134 otiverting 1986; tons of cane into sugar varies from Rs. 160 to Rs. 412.
The gross profit - average of ten returns- is Rs. 367 per 100 tons of cane.
7 Anticipating some difficulty with regard to these questions—9 k. (4), (5), (6) and (7),— it was considered Ivinable, in drawing up the schedule, to add two other questions nøking for the total receipts together with
the total expenditure on the estates, detailed, if possible, as indicated below
Cultivation; including planting, cleaning, manuring, labour, salaries of staff and transport to mill
thy Purchase of planters' canes.
Mill expenses including salaries of staff, labour, packing, fuel, transport to Port Louis
6) Repairs to machinery
Purchase and setting up of new plant.
f Transport of sugar to dork, dock dues, brokerage
g Capital charges.
The replies to the questions set in this form appeared to have offered less difficulty than those referring to the jerrentage of the value received for sugar products--9 k (7) of Memorandum A, but even these replies give very unsatisfactory results for the different items of expenditure
nly eight estates replied, more or less correctly, to the question concerning the percentage of the value newved for sugar products represented by
17 August 1909 ]
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.
Mr. A. Walter.
111
[Continued
and nou-borrowers" and the proportion of the total number of mille which have since been closed under each head determined The results are summarised below.
Pamplemousse S
3
Rivière du Rempart
Flacq
3
Black River -
Savanne
Moka
Number of Estates which did borrow in 1892.
and which
District.
Average Extraction.
Number of Estates which did not borrow in 1892, and which
Average
Extraction.
still exist.
have closed
still exist.
have closed.
Per Cent.
Per Cent.
10.16
6
10.29
10.82
6
4
10:50
10.39
10-52
10.30
10.69
10.33
10:46
10.84
3
10.27
10.59
10.29
3
10.63
26
10
40
28
10.34
10.50
Percentage
72.2
27.8
58-8
41.2
Decrease.
In 1892 there were 104 mill
}
67
39
Grand Port - Plaines Wilhems
Total
Cost of growing
Canes
(A)
Cost of Manufacture.
(B)
Working Charges
Capital Chargea.
Net Profit.
(0)
(D)
(E)
Per Cent
Per Cent.
Per Cent
Per Cent.
Per Cent.
51.81
20-47
1 50
23:57
2.65
44 60
10-83
910
35.47
46 12
26-09
8-12
18-77
65 33
21 64
8:10
4.93
51 61
20 00
5.25
23.14
f# 1:!
23:51
11-85
41.58
GG 42
32 64
18 08
7 31
5.58 36
-3.28 12.89
These results clearly indicate that the question was not easily answerable.
From the replies given to the questions set in the form indicated in paragraph 7 of the present report, the following table has been drawn up, the total quantity of sugar made being derived from the corresponding Schedule of Agricultural Statistica.
3
Average
Amount of Sugar made.
Cont of producing
In 1875 there were about 171 mills
At the present time there are 65 mille
Had the mills which did borrow continued to close at the same rate as those which did not, five of the existing factories would have disappeared and the rate of decrease would be 67 for the first 18 years and 44 for the last.
It is worthy of remark that the extraction for the two categories of mills-borrowers and non-borrowers-shows A slight excess in favour of the latter.
In 1892 only 34 per cent. of the mills borrowed, and it may be presumed that the majority of the remainder did not do so as they could not offer a first line mortgage. The indebtedness of the estates having apparently increased since 1892, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the proportion capable of borrowing at the present date is considerably reduced
11. From a careful consideration of the existing conditions of the sugar industry in Mauritius, it appears evident that some energetic measures should be taken to improve the cultivation of the small planters. The tendency for many years past has been toward what is know locally as "morcellement" or the parcalling out of the large estates into small holdings, the mill being either dismantled and sold, or maintained sa a central factory comparatively small area being reserved on which "* intensive" agriculture is resorted to.
Under these circumstances the peasant proprietors with a very limited capital have recourse to what may be termed "extensive" agriculture, resulting in a low yield of cane and in many instances of sugar.
On Estate No. 46 the extraction for the estates' canes with a sucrose content of 14-68 per cent. was 11-72 per cent. in 1908, which was reduced to 10-74 per cent, by the inclusion of the planters' canes; the sucrose per cent. weight of cane, must therefore have been very low for the latter. Much the same result was obtained on Estate No. 42, the corresponding extractions being 11.78 per cent. for the estate ownes and 10 85 per cent. if the planters' canes are included.
12. That improved culture le an urgent necessity can be gathered from the following table —
Serial Number of Estate
Number of Years
Average Annual
Average
Annual
employed.
Expenditure.
Receipts for
Sugar only
50 Kilos. of Sugar
Price realized for 50 Kilos. of Sugar.
Profit realised.
1
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
RM.
Rs.
Tons.
RA.
Rs.
Rs.
249,300
253,700
1,714
7.27
7:40
+0.13
313,660
309,537
2,179
7-20
7.10
-0.10
290,126
446,459
2,814
5-16
7.93
+2.77
269,941
390,941
2,789
4-84
7.01
+2.17
346,755
364,713
2,712
6-38
6.72
+0.34
53,644
61,318
5,954
10.02
11:45
+1.49
17,301
19,574
2.458
7.03
7.95
+0.92
427,801
518,218
3,279
6.52
7.90
+1.38
4:1
289,001
353,044
1,984
7.28
8.90
+1.62
44
222,942
253,964
2,250
4.96
5.64
+0.68.
46
439,069
459,547
3,133
7-00
7.33
+0.33
48
19,287
22,402
2,768
7.19
8-28
+1·15
49
5,500
8,873
1,000
5.50
8-73
+3·29
53
68,188
125,858
899
3.79
7:00
+3.21
420,214
432,069
4,084
5.15
5.29
+0.14
55
282,743
256,962
1,869
7.56
0.87
-0.69
1904-1905
56
304,097
339,317
2,804
6.99
8.51
---0·48
1905-1906
58
286,605
347,874
2,148
6.67
8.10
+1.43
62
102,441
118,952
11,647
8:80
9.79
+0.99
1906-1907 1907-1908
64
239,436
235,611
2,010
5.95
5.88
-0.09
65
161,957
195,516
1,296
6.55
7-91
+1.36
75
258,235
267,996
1,720
7.50
7-79
+0.29
78
326,119
368,968
2,663
6.12
6.93
+0.81
79
716,215
828,254
5,385
6.65
7-69
+1.04
Year.
Estate Number 87.
Yield per Arpent.
Virgins.
Ratoons.
Representative Yields from Indian Planters (per Arpent).
Crop 1907 to 1908.
Topa.
Tons.
Tone.
Tons.
12.97.
6.57
35.49
17.98
6.14
7:47
39.70
23.46
4.18
6:48
47:49
26.50
5.07
5.65
36.79
22.02
6.00-
3.05
6.39
4.80
6.78
12.90
9.49
16.83.
8.52
9.07
The values in italics refer to planters only and not to manufacturers: the figures in column 4 are in consequence given in tons of cane.
The average cost of producing 100 lbs. of agar as derived from the ten estaten sending in complete returns for a period of five years is Rs. 6:30: the average price realised being Rs. 7·13, leaving a net profit of Rs. 0·83. per 100 lb.
10. The Progress of Centralisation.—With a view to ascertaining, if possible, the effect of the 1892 Loan on the progrees of centralisation, the estates possessing mills in 1892 were classified under the two heads of "horrowers "
• Probably from the virgin crop.
The heavy yields of cane per arpent shown on some estates in the district of Moks, however, osanot be secured without an expenditure altogether beyond the means of the majority of the peasant planters under existing conditions. By endeavouring to reach the small holdings through the intermediary of the esntral mill-owners, who pay for their canes in sigar socording to the amount extracted, advances might be made to the peasant proprietors in the form of manure and other fertilisers, and especially of molasses, soums, and ashes, to which the greatly increased yields shown on Estate No. 87 are principally due. It is quite evident that the mill-owner and the small planter cannot be separated with advantage.
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