CO885-(25-26) — Page 585

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COCOA.

16. To deal first with cocoa: A study of this Table will show that the cocoa exports of this Colony rose between 1909 and 1914 from 20,213 tons in the former to 52,888 tons in the latter year. Simultaneously the quantities shipped respectively to Great Britain, Germany and France rose between 1909 and 1913

in the following manner :-

1909.

1913.

Great Britain Germany France

10,232

7,459 2,519

26.652 15,460 8,441

The total quantities exported from the Gold Coast during these two years amounted to 20,213 tons

and to 50,554 tons. Of this in 1909 Great Britain was taking approximately one half (50-57 per cent.), Germany was taking rather more than a third (36-9 per cent.) and France slightly more than one eighth (12-46). By 1913 on the other hand, Great Britain was taking 52.7 per cent., Germany 30-6 per cent.

and France 16.7 per cent. of the Gold Coast export of cocoa.

These figures would lead one to infer that between 1909 and 1913 Great Braitain and France had both somewhat increased the percentage of our crop with which they were prepared to deal, while in the same space of time Germany, though nearly doubling the quantity which she could annually consume, was taking a smaller percentage of the entire crop. In this connection, however, the figures which I have quoted are somewhat misleading, for though only 30.6% of the 1913 crop was exported from the Gold Coast direct to Germany, while 52.7% was imported into Great Britain, I have it on the authority of Mr. J. H. Batty.the Managing Director of several of the most important Mercantile Firms now operating in this Colony, that in pre-war times British manufacturers purchased less than 25% of the Gold Coast crop. Our cocoa, as you are aware, is of a somewhat low grade, and it finds only a limited market among manufacturers of cocoa and chocolate in Great Britain and in France. Large quantities of the cocoa imported into England from the Gold Coast were annually re-shipped to Holland and to Germany. The importance of these outlets, from the point of view of the Gold Coast cocoa-farmer, was emphasised during 1914 and 1915, when trans-shipments of cocoa to neutral ports, whence it found its way into Germany. were subject to comparatively slight restrictions. During that period good prices ruled and the local industry throve in spite of the war; but when, in 1916, it was decided to deprive Germany of her supplies of cocoa, Gold Coast produce became, to some extent, a drug on the market, in spite of the fact that a new outlet had been found for it in the markets of the United States of America.

17. With regard to this latter market for our cocos, though in existing conditions it is affording us a certain limited measure of relief, it cannot be regarded as a satisfactory substitute for that of Germany. Gold Coast cocoa, in spite of its low quality, possesses over its competitors the advantage of being the most cheaply produced cocoa in the world. This is due to the fact that it is grown by a very large number of native peasant proprietors, who incur in its production none of the expenses incidental to the manage- ment, supervision and control of an European enterprise. The Gold Coast moreover, having regard to its tropical situation, is less remote from Europe than are many other cocoa-producing countries. On the other hand, many of the latter are situated in much closer proximity to the United States of America, and though the market furnished by the latter may prove to be an outlet of some value to this Colony, our cocoa placed upon it inevitably competes with the produce of Central America and of the West Indies at a considerable disadvantage, not only as regards its quality, but also on account of the much longer transit

by sea.

18. The position, then, is-taking Mr. Batty's figures to be correct, as I have reason to believe them to be that in 1913, the year immediately preceding the outbreak of war, while over 30% of the Gold Coast cocoa crop was exported direct to Germany, and 16.69% was imported into France, Great Britain herself con- sumed less than 25% of the crop, the residue finding its way to Holland or to Germany, as the case might chance to be. Making full allowance, therefore, for the quantity which, in the future, the markets of the United States of America may be able to absorb, it must be admitted, I think, that any attempt to restrict or impede the exportation of Gold Coast cocoa to Germany-either direct, or via Great Britain or Holland--will result, less in injury to our present enemies, than in the acute depression of this Colony's staple industry. In a word, Great Britain and her Allies cannot consume or make use of the whole cocca crop of the Gold Coast in any ordinary circumstances; and were artificial means to be employed in order to enable them to make the attempt to do so, such measures must inevitably react upon local prices in a manner which would be severely felt by our cocoa planters and which could not fail to deal a very severe blow to the prosperity that, of recent years, this Colony has enjoyed in so phenomenal

degree.

&

19. I cannot bring myself to believe that such results would be advantageous to Great Britain, or that any of her Allies would profit thereby to an extent proportionate to our loss. It is for these reasons that I submit, in connection with the passage from the Report of Lord Balfour of Burleigh's Committee which

533

PUBLIC

KEGURU

Reference :-

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Articles.

STATEMENT OF EXPORTS FROM THE GOLD Coast during 1909 to 1914,

(.86 )

Quantities.

Values.

1909

1910

1911

1912

1913

1914

1909

1910

1911

1912

1913

1914

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

Tona.

Tons.

Tons.

£

3

3

£

3

4

10,232

11,677

20,924

17,679

26,652

28,672 375 229-

452 124

867 558

7,459

801'2

10,048

12,961

15,460

..

2,519

3,846

8,754

8,002

b

1 8,441

267,866 99,733 146,581 10,380| 280,280

11,577 |

396,243

349,667

..

..

3

2

2,257

105

20,213

22,631

39,726

38,€47

50,554 52,888 755,347

866,571 1,613,468 1,642833

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

J

J

3

768,2121,322,113

544 326

186 330,009

413,179

753,878

-

48

2,489218

等

F

482,445

488,937

1,106,052

112

116,203

2,193,749

£

1,575

2,667

2,430

2,772

2,601

9.978

45

229 11,286

714 10,110

11,079

767

738 6,405

640 2,269

2,724

15,094

96,807

24

34,898

3,171 146,989

30,967

9,737 135,187

5

8

2

Totals

11,589

14,182

13,254

14,628

9,744

5,633

111,925

185,058

U. Kingdom

Germany

Galls.

1,502,127

199,429

305,740

*S[]8)

Galls.

910,625

396,617 130,317 137,190 302,259 Galls. 1,491,362 | 1,177,633 | 123,638

429,868

Galls.

Galls.

France.

Totals

2,007,296 2,448,868 | 1,610,209 1,444,432

860,155 | 495,763 120,968

591,378 253,031

212,057 233,651 56,720

89,072 £

£ 175,891

205,365

19

159,128

88,671

3

3

9,081

12,643

9,985 115,551

92,942

69,739

44,740

10,343

10,571

19,263

35,850

25,631

32 575

4.478

16,433

-899

3

19,050

677

161.386

128,916

112,885

6,585

17,919

36,646

Cocoa..

Palm Kernels

Palm Oil