Raw Silk Production, Including Tussah Silk
Seasons 1917-1918 to 1922-1923
| 1922-1923 | 1921-1922 | 1920-1921 | 1919-1920 | 1918-1919 | 1917-1918 | |
| Crops in Pounds | Pounds | Pounds | Pounds | Pounds | Pounds | Pounds |
| Europe | 8,841,000 | 7,628,000 | 8,058,000 | 4,927,000 | 6,978,000 | 7,154,000 |
| Viz: | ||||||
| Italy | 8,234,000 | 7,066,000 | 7,330,000 | 4,045,000 | 5,942,000 | 6,217,000 |
| France | 437,000 | 430,000 | 551,000 | 397,000 | 540,000 | 452,000 |
| Austria | .... | .... | .... | [7]331,000 | [7]331,000 | [7]331,000 |
| Spain | 170,000 | 132,000 | 177,000 | 154,000 | 165,000 | 154,000 |
| Levant | 1,543,000 | 1,213,000 | 1,654,000 | [7]2,293,000 | [7]2,293,000 | [7]2,293,000 |
| Asia: Total Quantity Exported[5] | 57,439,000 | 53,941,000 | 35,138,500 | 51,860,000 | 45,475,000 | 48,026,000 |
| Viz: | ||||||
| China, Shanghai | [6]8,628,000 | [6]6,993,000 | [6]]6,518,500 | [6]10,225,000 | [6]9,209,000 | [6]8,563,000 |
| China, Canton | 7,050,000 | 5,735,000 | 4,210,000 | 7,093,000 | 3,704,000 | 5,170,000 |
| Japan, Yokohama | 41,541,000 | 40,982,000 | 24,300,000 | 34,222,000 | 32,308,000 | 34,050,000 |
| India | 220,000 | 231,000 | 110,000 | 320,000 | 254,000 | 243,000 |
| Total, Pounds | 67,823,000 | 62,782,000 | 44,850,500 | 59,080,000 | 54,746,000 | 54,473,000 |
| Tussah | 2,034,000 | 1,856,000 | 1,650,000 | 1,960,000 | 1,561,000 | 1,534,000 |
| Grand Total, Pounds | 69,857,000 | 64,638,000 | 46,500,500 | 61,040,000 | 56,307,000 | 59,007,000 |
[5] The production of raw silk in China and India is unknown. The Japan crop is approximately 47,000,000 pounds.
[6] Excludes Tussah silk.
[7] In the absence of statistics from Austria and the Levant, 1915 production is used as an estimate.
Courtesy of The Silk Association of America
Unpacking Bales of Raw Silk
Yokohama Silk Exchange
The Yokohama Raw Silk Exchange operates on a basis similar to that of the various cotton exchanges, and transactions are carried on in “futures” as far ahead as five months. The speculative element is very active and its influence is often felt extensively throughout all phases of the industry. On several occasions it has been necessary to close the exchange to avert real disaster after the quotations have been manipulated to an unbelievable extent. During the last few years the Japanese Government and various silk organizations have, by law and regulation, succeeded in improving this situation to a very great degree, and the benefit has been felt throughout the industry.
Conditioned Weight
Raw silk is sold by weight—in Yokohama, by net weight, that is, less wrappings, etc. Of recent years in most countries it has been the custom to deal by conditioned weight, and as a result the conditioning process has become an important side line in the industry.