WORLD MARKETS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17633, 9 December 1922, Page 12

WORLD MARKETS.

AMERICAN TINNED FOODS. GROWING POPUIABITY. A meal of bread and condensed milk might piease the small boy occasionally, but would he care for it as a regular diet? However, that is what grownups have every day in Senegal for their noon meal when at work away from their families, says Consul W. J. Yerby, Dakar, in a report to the United States Department of Commerce, states tho "Christian Science Monitor." IhC natives of Senegal are very fond 01" sweets, and as most candy is usually too expensive for them to purchase, they consume large quantities of lump ana cube sugar and sweetened condensed miik. Sea, biscuits are also highly relished, ho says. The Consul thinks tiiat if American corn syrup and molasses were obtainable they would be very acceptable. In his opinion such, an addition would in part add relish and flavour to the present restricted condensed milk menu. Inexpensive candies, such as are sold in the 5 and 10cent stores, ginger snaps, sweet crackers., sweetened popcorn, etc., tfhe Consul thinks would be a cause of much rejoicing among the dusky labourers. American canned foods have won the day in Colombia, and now tho native consumer is relishing the Maine sardine, "Wisconsin milk, Chicago corned beef, California peaches, and Jersev soup, along with his tropical foods'. Canned foodstuffs from the United States have not only been accepted by the Colombian, but are distinctly preferred to those from other countries. As a result the United States is enjoying a practical monopoly of the canned foods trade of the country, according to United States Consul at Cartagena, in a report to the Department of Commerce. Evaporated and condensed milk are increasing in popularity, due primarily to the present methods of milk deliveries in Colombia, which are very unsatisfactory. Fish, soups, and vegetables are readily sold. American canned fruits are especially acceptable, and if it were possible to market these goods at lower prices there would be a larger consumption, because the native consumer is especially fond of fruits that are very sweet. Practically all home cooked fruits are prepared with a largo amount of sugar—too sweet to be appetising to anyone who cares for tartness.

Indo-CMna's Demands. English and Swiss producers have the Indo-China condensed milk market all to themselves) according to the Consul to Saigon. .The 19,000,000 people in that country have just begun to appreciato condensed milk. The Consul states that 2,500,000 pounds were imported last year, and he believes future consumption will increase rapidly now that it has once started. Besides keeping bettor in that tropical climate, the natives prefer the sweetened condensed milk to'the evaporated article. European brands have the business in their hands at present, and the Consul thinks that American milk exporters to that country would find strong competition at first. The Consul dwells upon the unsatisfactory methods practised by American export firms generally in not expediting shipments to that part of the Orient. Brazil's jungles are being combed by British, Italian, Swedish, . and. Norwegian interests in search of the babassu and other oil-bearing nuts which have lately been recognised as important sources of edible oils. United States Consul to Brazil has informed - the Department of Commerce that European interest in the vegetable oil possibilities of that country is increasing, , and that the properties of the curua and tucuma seeds are being analysed \ and™ studied as to their possibilities as producers of edible oils. Halibut Fishing Unprofitable. ( > American fishermen are very pessimistic as to the future of the halibut fishing industry of the Pacific Coast. While a good catch of halibut was landed at Prince Rupert in Juno (2,276,1001b), prices have been unsatisfactory, and very few of the fishermen and none of the shipping firms-have made money, says the Consul at Prince Eupert. With the fishermen it is not so much a question of the price of fish as it is the continued high prices of fuel, gear, and stores, and with the shipping firms it is largely a question of prices on the Chicago, New York, and Boston markets. . There were 912,5001b of fresh salmon landed at Prince Bupert, as compared with 1,420,0001b last June. Cod totalled 54,3001b, herring 450,5001b, and flounders 203,9001b. . Foreign exchange is responsible for the decreased flour and wheat exports from the United States to Brazil. Argentina's comparatively favourable position in this respect, as compared with the United States, has caused a diversion of the bulk of Brazil's im : port trade in these commodities from Argentina. Until exchange conditions become more normal, exporters can only expect a minor part of Brazil's business in these products, Consul-General Gaulin, Bio de Janeiro, informs the foodstuffs ' division of the Department of Commerce. In 1921 Brazil imported practically all her wheat from Argentina and the United States, the former country sending 328,612 metric tons, compared with 48,226 from the United States. As for wheat flour, Argentina supplied 31,185 and the United States 26,295 metric tons out of a total of 65,606 imported. Due to the depreciated Brazilian currency, it has been found more advantageous to manufacture the flour locally from the 'imported wheat rather than to import the wheat flour. Twenty-ono million acres of wheat, eoru, beans, and millet throughout the Kirin and Hellungchiang provinces of China promise such excellent yields that experts estimate the crops to reach the imposing figure of 10,340,000 short tons, the American Consul at Harbin, China, advises the Department of Commerce. The constantly increasing demands for staple crops, which culminated in extraordinarily high prices last ' winter, encouraged the farmers to bring approximately 21,000,000 acre 3 under cultivation, an increase of nearly 2,000,000 acres over 1921. The writer states that rain and sunshine continue favourable to the proper development of crftps. ' It is expected that the harvest of beans will amount to 2,340,000 short tons, an increase of about 100 per cent, over normal average, and it is claimed that contracts for autumn deliveries have already been entered into with representatives of American and European business houses. The wheat crop will exactly double last year's harvest of 500,000 short tons, and the local flour mills are preparing for a busy season. Bumper wheat crops in North-west India have resulted in great activity among the freight forwarders and^exporters of Karachi, who have been busy in the interior buying up grain for early shipment, the "Consul informs the foodstuffs division of the Department of Commerce. One British steamship ■'company has concentrated 25,000 tons of shipping in the Karachi port, which is now loading for Europe. The wheat crop for this district is estimated about 15 per cent, above normal. BRISBANE WOOL SALES. BRISBANE, December 8. The third- series of wool aaJea has closed There was a good average selection offer d' hut competition was not animated. Japan sought greasy fleece wools, ond Continental buyer* the finer dualities of fleece and skirt-