 

 

64 MACARONI WHEAT IN FOREIGN MARKETS.

matter, as the ordinary wheat grown in the United States; the
American wheat, on account of its lacking the necessary gluten,
does not lend itself to the manufacture of macaroni.

Writing under date of November 4, 1903, United States Consul
H. H. Morgan, of Lucerne, Switzerland, reports that since his previous
 report of September 22, 1903, he has received letters from
Messrs. Born &amp; Brunner, Lucerne, and Isaac Rhein, 3 Dianastrasse,
Zurich, requesting that samples of the wheat in question be sent to
them for trial, and also that they be given the names and addresses
of dealers in this wheat in the United States.

TUNIS.
(From United States Vice-Consul Touhay, Tunis, 4 | frica.)
According to the customs returns, the value of wheat imported
into Tunis during the fiscal year 1902-3 was estimated at $1,200,000.
All this wheat was milled into flour in the City of Tunis, but I have
not been able to ascertain what portion of it was especially suitable
for the manufacture of macaroni.
Wheat in the grain has free entry into Tunis. Wheat flour pays
a duty of 8 per cent ad valorem.
There are seven large flour mills in Tunis, and all the imported
wheat, as well as much of the grain raised in the adjacent country, is
ground into flour at these establishments.
The Italian colony in Tunis numbers about four-fifths of the foreign
 population in the regency, and macaroni in its various forms
constitutes their staple food. A considerable portion of the native
and Jewish population also consumes this article. Nearly all this
macaroni is manufactured in Tunis and is preferred, for its low
price, to the imported article. The latter, being burdened with
freight charges, storage, and a customs-entry tax of 8 per cent ad
valorem, is double the price of the Tunisian manufacture.
Taking these conditions into account, I should certainly consider
this consular district as offering good promise of a market for a portion
 of our large crop of macaroni wheat. It would, however, be
necessary to secure direct freight from our ports to Tunis. At present
 there is no direct steamship communication between Tunis and
the United States, and our merchandise brought into this country is
so handicapped with extra charges for transshipment and, practically,
 double freight as to render competition with European producers
 extremely difficult and in many cases impossible.
St. L. A. Tounay, Vice-Consul.
Tunis, AFRICA, October 19, 1903.

  
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

 

 

 