BEET SUGAR FOR AUSTRALIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3490, 19 May 1920, Page 5

BEET SUGAR FOR AUSTRALIA.

ONE RESULT OF ACUTE SHORTAGE.

Australia‘consumes on an average 200,000 tons of sugar :1 year. The production of cane sugar last year——-and a similar condition is expected this year ——was: only about 100,000 tons. Therefore Australia has to go into the world’s market, to make good her shortage. Up to the last two or three years that did not dis'furb anyone, except the Australian sugar-growers, because the costof production in Australia. was high, and it was possible to buy at a favourable price in the woi-ld’s markets. But today the position has completely ‘changed. The Australian growers arereceiving £3O 6/8 for their raw sugar, but in order to make good the 100,000 tons shortage, the Australian Gov'ernlnent has to pay between £SO and £BO in foreign markets; £3O (5/8 is nearly £0 better than the grower ‘has hitherto been receiving, and he is now doing his best to stimulate his oufpuf, but the efl’e-ct of that will not be felt until next year. Meanwhile the beet sugar industry has come into vigorous life. Vi2‘.oria has been growing sugar beets for years, but: the beet sugar ]_)l'o(l.\l('.'3d under Australian labour conditions Could not compete with the Queensland (31110 product, let alone the clleaply-pl'3due-ed sugar from Java. So the industry languished, and not more than 1500 tons a year yore produced. But now everything is changed. Everxone with a wide radius of the Maffra beet’ sugar mill planting sugar beet, and the Victorian Government,' by 'g;ra':l‘;ing substantial bonuses and reduced railway frei_e;hts, is doing its ntniost to establish the industry soundly before prices recede. It is being found that the _growing of beet sugar fits in admirably with dairying, as the part of the beet rejected by the sugar-m-iker forms excellent. fodder for stock. The Tasmanian Government is busily making inquiries into the possibilities of beet, and the West Australian Government is heartily co-operating with the biggest: eent’eet‘ionary firm in the VVest, which is trying‘ to establish beet-growing on a big scale. West. Australia is.the worst placed of all the States in regard to sugar supplies‘: it is far from Qiieeirslaxrrl. and freights are heavy. Whenever there is a strike its supplies are cut. oil”. Formerly Jt could turn for supplies to 1110 nearby Dutch Indies. but today Java sugar is “away up near the skies.”

The Australian beet-sugar industry has a unique chance (if being‘ soundly esfab]ished——zlnd the s:l.nu3 condifions no doubt will encourage those who so long advor:a?ed ::u_2ar-growing in the Waikato. -