OCR Text |
Show THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY Commenting on tho sugar situation and the necessity for reduced prices for the 1921 sugarbeet crop. General Manager W. D. Lippett of the Great Western Sugar company, speaking be-foro be-foro the Billings Commercial club, said that the main factor in bringing down the prico of sugar in the domestic do-mestic market was that tho United States last year offered the most favorable- sugar market in the world, due to the immense consuming capacity ca-pacity of the American people. This, combined with high prices, attracted sugar from all countries in the world until the American market was glut-i ted. This 'over supply caused the bottom to drop out of the market and as a remit domestic beet sugar producers pro-ducers have been forced to sell their product during the past winter and spring at prices less than the cost of j producing it from beets contracted for at a high figure early in 1920. The collapse in tho demand has made the beet output, which came late into the market, move slowly, and the manufacturers still have on hand large stocks of sugar which were produced while costs were still high. In consequence-, sugar manufacturers manu-facturers are forced to cut all costs to the bone and at the same time j raise processes of production to the j highest possible degree of efficiency, j Harmonious relations between the ! beet growers and the factories will tide the western sugar industry over one of the most critical periods it has ever faced. I |