TOBACCO CONSUMPTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 218, 14 September 1928, Page 8

TOBACCO CONSUMPTION

INCREASE OF “EMPIRE” SMOKING PIPE AND CIGARETTES. „ The expansion of the world’s consumption of tobacco, the decline in popularity of pipes relatively to cigarettes, the striking increase in the demand for Empire tobacco and the general recent improvements in its quality arc among the main points discussed by the Imperial Economic Committee in their tobacco report, published today by lI.AU Stationery Office (Cmd. 3168, price 9d net). The problems facing those responsible for the future of the still small but important Empire tobacco trade receive detailed attention in this survey. In 1921, states the report, the Empire supplied 3.3 per cent, of the leaf tobacco imported into the United Kingdom and in 1927 the figure had risen to 18.4 per cent. It is estimated that 37 per cent, of the pipe tobacco consumed in the United Kingdom in 1927 consisted of Empire leaf, but only slightly over 1 per cent, of the cigarette tobacco. Over 250 brands of Empire tobacco and 40 to 50 brands of Empire cigarettes have been placed on the British market. While in 1914 the annual average consumption in the United Kingdom was 2.41bs per caput of the population, in 1927, 3.41bs were consumed “indicating a rapid increase due undoubtedly to the extension of the cigarette habit and to smoking on the part of women.’’ Strictly comparable statistics for other countries were difficult to obtain, but it has been estimated that in 1926 Belgium’s consumption was G.Glbs per caput, U.S.A.’s 6.021bs and Germany’s 41bs. Triumph of Cigarettes A striking feature in the United Kingdom has been the change in recent. years from pipes to cigarettes. In 1907 cigarettes accounted for 23.8 per cent, of the total, as -gainst 71.1 per cent, pipe tobacco and 5.1 per centcigars; in 1924 cigarettes had risen to 58.5 per cent, and pipes and cigars fallen respectively to 40 per cent and 1.5 per cent.

“The evidence we have received from trade sources,” the committee adds, “is to the effect that the trend to cigarette smoking has continued since 1924 and some witnesses considered that pipe tobaccos now account for only one quarter of the consumption in the United Kingdom. It is, we think probable that pipe tobacco does not now form more than 35 per cent, of the total tobacco consumption of the United Kingdom.” The advance of the cigarette in popular favour in recent years is not confined to the United Kingdom. Throughout Europe consumption .v inclines towards cigarettes and the milder varieties of pipe tobaccos. Even in Germany where pipe tobacco still predominates, a marked increase in the consumption of cigarettes has taken place. In the United States, pipe and chewing tobacco still is the greater part of the consumption, but the proportion of cigarettes is increasing. Even in India the annual consumption of cigarettes is now about 6,500. million as compared with an annual figure of bv.newhat under 1,000 million pre-war. The cigarette is thus at present advancing ir world-wide favour, but the consumption per head appears to be highest in the United Kingdom.

The position of world supplies receives full analysis.

For the years 1909 to 1913 the average annual world production of leaf, excluding ’”dia and China was estimated, states the Imperial Economic Committee at 2,304 million lbs. For the years 1920 t 1922 this average was placed at 2,673 million lbs., and in 1926 it is computed that 3,415 million lbs. of tobacco leaf were harvested. Unfortunately equivalent figures for the earlier years are not available for India and China, for which two countries the crop in 1926 was estimated at 1,485 million ILs. If this quantity be included the estimate of the total production of tobacco in the world in 1926 was 4,900 million lbs. The United States if America and the British Empire provided approximately half of this world total.

Empire countries contributing to this quota were, in the order of their output, India, Canada, Union of South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia, Australia and Cyprus. In the international trade in tobacco the Empire does not however, occupy such a prominent position as the quantity of its production would suggest, for some of the countries which are the largest producers of tobacco are also the largest consumers. This is especially true of India and China. Only somewhat over one-fourth of the world crop —1,240 milions out of 4,600 million lbs. in 1925 —entered international trade channels, the rest having been consumed in 'Xe countries of production. Over three-fourths of the total export surplus of the world in 1925 was provided by the United States (39 per cent, of the total), the Dutch East Indies and the Balkans (each 16 per cent.), and Brazil (6 per cent.) The contribution of the whole of the British Empire was only about 4 per cent. * ‘ Empire ’ ’ Consumption. Whereas the Empire only supplied 71 millions out of the 228 million lbs. imported into the United Kingdom in 1921, it supplied 41 millions to the 1927 total of 222 million lbs. Further, seven out of the seven and a-half million lbs. of Empire tobacco imported in 1921 were drawn from Nyasaland, India, and British North Borneo, whereas in 1927 although these three Empire countries had raised their con tribution to 24 million lbs. the imports from Rhodesia and Canada had grown from negligible quantities to 17 million lbs. Between 1920 and 1924 the consumption of Empire tobacco expanded at a rate of 1,650.0001bs a year, and between 1924 and 1927 at a rate of 3,200,0001bs a year. British manufacturers with drew from bond 1,546,0001bs of Empire grown tobacco in 1919 as against 22,793.0001bs in 1927-

“We believe,” the committee continued, “that, given on the side of the producers increased experience in production, strict attention to the quality of the crop and tile requirements of the British market, and, given, on the side of the manufacturers, and British public, cordial support for Empire products a still greater “rate of increase could be established.’’ Already in certain of the newer countries of the Empire, such as Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. the cultivation of tobacco is becoming for the time being the mainstay of farming and, therefore, of settlement.