SCARCITY OF HOPS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 14 September 1909, Page 4

SCARCITY OF HOPS.

According to the latest mail advices indications point to a world-wide scarcity of hops this year. One authority places the 'possible crop in .the United States at 190,000 Hales, as compared with an annual consumption of 230,000 bales. Another authority states that the American yield vjill'be 209,059 bales, that of Groat "Britain 340,606 cwt., v and of the 6ontjnent 806,000 cwt., making the world's hop crop 1,479,000 cwt. In the commercial columns of /"The Age" it is stated that this quantity is l^ss than that harvested during -' the .high-priced, years 1902-1904, when tho world's production of hops ranged from 1,520,000 cwt. to 1,563,000 cwt. Since this estimate was publisHed. however,-., news has been received by cablo that the Kent crop was in a critical eoijdjtion pv.'inp to. tho vyct summer, 'aud consequently the yield may not reach the average of normal years. In any circumstances it looks ap Jf there

would be a scramble between the British . <md American brewers for their supply of hops in the autumn,.and;:it;.wiUbe; very unfortunate if any. disaster should {(revent the Kent growers from behefit- ' ing by the inevitable' enhancement in ' ; values. ■ ■ In 1908 the British market was" . flooded by importations, and prices were r '■'forced back to 703 per ewt., which is. far .below the cost of production. Growers [ \ in Great Britain, unsuccessfully agitated ' ;'for a duty of 40 per cent., but the only 1 j concession obtained was in- the shape: of ' ! restrictions on the use of hop substitutes, ! so as to increase the consumption of the i ■ genuine article. In> normal years there » ' are 600,000 ' ; cwt. of hops used in the t United" Kingdom, the local yield supply- [ ing about 60 per cent, of this quantity. ■If America should require to import • : from Europe this season instead of comr i peting therein as & seller, prices are > { bound to advance very materially.' In : | 1907 Victoria produced 1179 cwt. of hops I from 248 acres, whilst Tasmania had , 1007 acres under this crop.'. The net [ importations into the Commonwealth in . the same period, amounted to 1,007,3181 b., ) i valued at £49,024. ?