COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE. 139
TABLE 14.—Superphosphates produced in Italy, by years, 1905-1914."

Yaar.

1905. .
906...
907. cuerececrecacnanne
1908. _..
goo

Quantity.

2uinials.
4, 800, 000
B, 150, 000
7.770, 006
10, 640, 00C
9, 368, 000

B10. coccincnnnnnn-1


Year,

Quantity.

Quintals.
10, 502, 000
9,447,000
10,193,000
9, 725, 000
5,139, 980

1 Annuaire international de statistique agricole, 1913-14, p. 674.

During this period there was a steady increase in production from
4,800,000 quintals in 1905 to 10,640,000 in 1908, the year in which
the combination showed a large profit. From that time on the
output varied but little, being held in the neighborhood of 10,000,000
quintals for the period 1908-1913. This was due in part, possibly, to
the combination’s policy of limiting production. In 1914 the production
 declined nearly 50 per cent, but that year, of course, was
not a normal one in Europe.
Sugar syndicate—The Italian sugar industry is almost wholly
controlled by stock companies, which in many cases own several
factories, and are united in groups. Most of these groups are members
 of the Sugar Union (Unione Zuccheri) which fixes the sugar
prices. The center of the sugar industry is Ferrara, while Genoa
is the center of the sugar trade. The total capital invested in the
Italian sugar industry is estimated to amount to about 125,000,000
lire. The most important groups of sugar producers are:*
. (1) The Secieth Ligure Lombarda per la Raflinazione degli
Zuccheri, Genoa, with a capital stock of 24,000,000 lire. It owns
factories, refineries, distilleries, and a jute mill for the manufacture
of sugar bags. This concern is also financially interested in other
groups.
(2) The Societd per Industria dello Zucchero indigeno, Rome,
with a capital stock of 18,000,000 lire.
(8) The Societd Industriale Anonima “Eridania,” Genoa, with a
capital stock of 7,000,000 lire.
(4) The Zucchereria Nazionale.
(5) The Societh Romana per la Fabbricazione dello Zucchero,
Rome.
(6) The “ Gulinelli ” group.
In 1913 the combine resolved to close 12 of the 38 sugar factories
in order to reduce the large accumulated stocks of sugar.?

1 Das Handelsmuseum, 1811, p. 672. 8 Kartell-Rundschau, 1914, p. 62.