Nyasaland.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1908]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nyasaland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/28 (page 9)
    III.—AGRICULTURE. Coffee. 10. This industry was commenced in tlie year 1894 and coffee still heads the list of exports. Climatic conditions liave been good during the past season, and planters are hopeful of a heavy crop of good quality. The total export from the 1st April, 1907, to 31st March, 1908, was 780,133 lbs., valued at £16,253. This is an increase of 326,022 lbs. on the previous year. Prices have improved of late. They are, however, not yet sufficiently high to enable planters to make the profit possible ten years ago, but it is hoped that the present somewhat re¬ stricted output in Brazil will have the effect of hardening the coffee market. The following table shows the acreage under cultivation, and the production and values for the last five years, the export value being placed at bd. per lb., from this season’s crop: — Year. Total Acreage under Cultivation. Crop exported at 31st March of each year. Valued at £ 1904 . 8,867 714,743 17,869 1905 . 4,880 1,303,655 27,159 1906 5,273 773,919 16,123 1907 . 5,565 454,111 9,461 1908 . 6,134 780,133 16,253 Tobacco. 11. The cultivation of tobacco has become established as a standard industry of the country within the last few years. During the past year 554,395 lbs. were exported, valued at £9,239, as against 413,316 lbs. during 1906-7. Owing to a drought in January, 1907, and a subsequent pro¬ longed rainy season, the quality of the crop was not up to the average. South Africa has hitherto been the most important buyer of Ayasaland tobacco, but that market became so overloaded and depressed that the United Kingdom was tried with satisfactory results. Owing to the prevailing low local prices in force last season, the acreage under cultivation has diminished somewhat, but now that the Imperial Tobacco Company of Great Britain and Ireland has established a buying factory near Blantyre, a considerable incentive to the production of Nyasaland tobacco