Report of the Poultry Expert. 277 



REPORT OF THE POULTRY EXPERT. 



A. Hart. 



The Export of Poultry. 



In presenting the Annual Report in connection with the poultry 

 and egg industry, I might mention that the past season has not been 

 so prosperous as could have been wished. This may be ascribed to 

 various causes. The severe drought throughout the greater portion 

 of Victoria has certainly been against the advancement of the poultry 

 industry. High prices for grain, and the great clearance of stocks on 

 account of farmers all through the Mallee and northern districts 

 having to leave their holdings, has caused a very large reduction in 

 the number of chickens reared during the past season, and the former 

 point has also tended to bring down the general condition of the 

 young stock which were reared. This fact accounts for the increase 

 of rejects this year in the consignments of poultry sent in to the 

 Government Cool Stores, -and the industry has suffered through this 

 cause. The export trade still offers an almost unlimited demand for 

 table poultry. South Africa absorbed by far the greater portion of 

 the poultry exported last year. This market is not likely to increase, 

 but no doubt a considerable quantity will still be required. The 

 United Kingdom is available for the supply of large quantities of 

 table poultry of a suitable grade. The British Board of Trade re- 

 turns for the past year show a record total of imports of poultry and 

 eggs into Great Britain during 1902. For that year £6,299,934 

 worth of eggs and £1,059,000 worth of poultry and game were im- 

 ported, as compared with eggs, £5,495,776, and poultry and game, 

 £980,739 in 1901. The total increase of imports during 1902 over 

 1901 amounted to no less than £882,419. The total numbers of eggs 

 imported from foreign countries during the past four years increased 

 from 1,940,921,200 to 2,271,661,560. The expenditure on these eggs 

 was equal to 16s. lOhd. per family in Great Britain. Russia, Ger- 

 many, Denmark, Belgium, France and Canada were the principal 

 countries which contributed to this supply. It is estimated that the 

 total number of eggs consumed in Great Britain last year was 

 4,300,000,000, or about 115 per head for the whole of the population. 



The foregoing figures will illustrate how extensive is the demand 

 for both poultry and eggs in Great Britain, and there is at present no 

 possibility of the supply being too great for requirements. Victoria 

 should endeavour to participate in the large sum annually distributed, 

 and there is no reason why we should not be able to compete success- 

 fully with the other countries in the supply of both eggs and poultry 

 to the British markets. The past shipments of both products have 

 proved in every way successful, and they are held in high estimation 

 by consumers, and also realise top prices. The demand for poultry 



