Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 369

TSINGTAO

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of the total of 654,909 kilogrammes imported, instead of the United States of America, which supplied 163,764 kilogrammes as against 428,042 kilogrammes in 1938, the full activities of the local Japanese cigarette factories being respon- sible for the changes. The effect of the drastic enforcement of export control by Japan is reflected in the imports of cotton piece goods, which declined from $2.1 million to $2 million. In consequence of the brisk export trade of native products, the import of new gunny bags from India for packing purposes alone amounted to 20,846 quintals valued at $941,000.

As regards exports, with the shipment to foreign countries of groundnut oil increasing from 116,440 quintals valued at $4 million in 1938 to 242,766 quintals valued at $11 million, the staple product of Shantung province re- gained front rank among export articles. Contrary to the previous year, Ger- many came in for the lion's share of the business with 113,911 quintals to her credit, while the United States of America took only 41,250 quintals. The ex- port of coal reached the record figure of 564,002 metric tons valued at $10.6 million as a result of huge shipments of coal produced in Yihsien and the strong new demand from Japan for anthracite mined at Tzechwan. Although the total value of the shipments of eggs and egg products represented a 50 per cent increase over 1938 and amounted to $7.6 million, the quantity actually exported fell short of the previous year's figure by 10,318 quintals of frozen whole egg (mélange) and 9,483 mille of eggs in shell. The decrease is due to the fact that the exchange obtained by local exporters was not as favourable as that obtained by Tientsin and Shanghai exporters. Compared with 1938, the shipment of shelled groundnuts advanced from 195,778 quintals valued at $3.5 million to 304,460 quintals valued at $7 million, the year's features being the much dwindled coastwise exports, which declined from 519,451 quintals in 1937 to 65,305 quintals during the year under review, and the starting of ship- ments to South American ports. The export of beef to Japan, amounting in value to $1.8 million, showed a fourfold increase as compared with the preced- ing year but a falling-off of about 50 per cent as against 1936. Though the quantity of exports of leaf tobacco receded from 82,568 to 43,954 quintals, yet as a result of good prices prevailing the total value was not far short of that for 1938. While the demand from the Kwantung Leased Territory remained as strong as ever, Japan took nothing as against 30,900 quintals for the pre- vious year. Since prices offered by domestic cigarette manufacturers were more attractive than those offered by foreign exporters, the quantity exported coastwise doubled that exported abroad. That the bristle exports from this port, contrary to prediction, improved from 1,212 quintals value at $0.9 million to 1,603 quintals valued at $1.9 million was most probably at the expense of the trade in Tientsin. Despite various efforts to increase shipments to Japan, the export of salt dropped from 2,492,815 to 1,647,710 quintals on account of the typhoon. The export of groundnut cake trebled and amounted to 129,566 quintals valued at $1 million, two-thirds of which was shipped to the United States of America and the rest to Japan. With the revival of the textile in- dustry, consisting of nine cotton mills which could consume the entire normal yield of the cotton produced in the Shantung province, i.e., 1,300,000 piculs if operated at full capacity, it is but natural that cotton exports declined from 66,979 quintals valued at $5.6 million to 5,292 quintals valued at $621,707.

The total number of vessels entered and cleared under General Regulations from and to domestic and foreign ports was 3,523 with an aggregate tonnage of 5,736,515 tons, representing an increase of 1,077 vessels and 1,790,803 tons as compared with the preceding year. The percentage of tonnage under the Japanese flag rose from 62 per cent to 73 per cent. As to British shipping, a further decline to 16 per cent was registered.