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        <title>Proceedings of the South &amp; East African combined agricultural, cotton, entomological and mycological conference held at Nairobi, August, 1926</title>
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      <div>PART 11. 
As is usual in most of the coffee species, caffein is present. 
The amount appears to be, on an average, somewhat larger (even 
exceeding 2.0%) than in the South American coffee species. In 
no instance, however, did the amount exceed the maximum limits 
observed in coffee in general. 
Due to its rapid growth, early and prolific yields, resistance 
to coffee blight, and many other desirable qualities, Coffee robusta 
has established ‘‘ its own.”” In the writer's judgment, robusta 
coffee deserves consideration and recognition. 
This is a statement of great interest because it comes from 
America, where it would not be surprising to find a strong prejudice 
against robusta, arising from their large controlling interests in Santos 
coffee. 
Further, when we view this statement in conjunction with the 
export figures from Java we see that Robusta has made a bold entry 
into the coffee markets of the world. 
I myself have had the opportunity of meeting Brokers and 
Produce Merchants in London and also Mincing Lane tasters and have 
been assured that there is a good market in London for good robusta. 
We have had enquiries about Robusta from Egypt, Palestine, Poland, 
Germany, and other parts of the continent and New Zealand. Indeed 
the prospects are becoming so well recognised that we have had 
requests for seed of our Uganda types from various countries. Of 
course, the final test of a coffee is its liquoring qualities. = We have 
seen that Robusta is not lacking in this respect. By selection it 
has been possible to improve on the size and boldness of the bean and 
a great deal more can be done. 
I hope I shall not weary you if 1 quote anent this matter of 
market prospects a rather striking statement from the Planters’ 
Chronicle of September, 1925, entitled ‘* The Outlook for Coffee in 
the East.” It is as follows: — 
The Stephanoderes pest whose ravages on Brazilian Coffee 
were described on page 509 of our issue of July 25, has an 
economic significance which augurs well for the future of the 
coffee growing industry in the countries outside Brazil. The 
outlay required to keep this scourge within bounds is involving no 
less than an increase of five American cents per pound on 
production costs. In other words the margin of production costs 
has swung round in favour of non-Brazilian Coffee growers; who 
presumably are now benefitting from the enhancement of the 
world price of coffee by which the producers of Brazil are enabled 
to combat Stephanoderes. This procedure of passing extra 
production costs of an article on to the consumer and thus avoiding 
diminution of profits is of course only practicable for producers 
who, like the Brazilians, control a predominant proportion of the 
world supply. 
Again, even in such circumstances, it has its obvious 
limitations; for any advance towards prohibitive prices—unless, of 
course, the current rate of consumption by the consumers of the 
commodity concerred is already at an absolute minimum-—is 
hound to cause af. ling off in demand, which may quite well be 
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