■536 Journal or the Department or Agricvlture. — Dec, 1922. 



(ii) Export of Grease Wool, 1920 and 1921. 



Countries of Destination. 



19-21, 



Weight, 

 lb. 



Value. 



1920, 



Weight, 

 lb. 



Value. 



United Kingdom ... 



Canada 



South-West Africa... 



Belgium 



France 



Germany 



Holland 



Italy 



Japan 



United States of America. 



Russia 



Sweden 



Total 



97,1.5:^,131 



30, OS 6 



7,100 



25.903,617 



20,934.783 



4S,414,736 



8,320.300 



2,371,000 



7,306,674 



13,394,977 



10,982 



45,817 



218,893,209 



3,168,987 



1,445 



118 



698,047 



592,588 



1,527,920 



107,467 



84,800 



396,(^39 



629,564 



600 



2,310 



38,048,431 4,303,.335 



15,202,776 

 1,230,263 

 7,114.233 

 1,952.474 

 1,512,495 

 28,942,(i93 

 12,.392,117 



1,275.016 



90,471 



320,460 



94,742 



161.991 



.5,193,095 



1,550,945 



7,210,485 



106,395,532 j 12,990,055 



Average price, 1921 : Scoured wool, 21'8(kl. ; grease wool. 7 '90(1. 

 A^ erage price, 1920 : Scoured wool. 54"88d. ; grease wool, 29"P)Ud. 



The liigli average prices for grease and scoured wools in 1920 

 weie due to the abnormal state ol tlie market towards the end of 

 1919 and the beginning of 1920, v.'hen up to SS^d. was paid for 

 grease woo]. Towards the end oP 1920, however, the market for 

 nearly all commodities had become very depressed, and in conse- 

 <|uei]ce of the unsettled state of the world's markets tlie banks 

 refused to make advances on produce. Many farmers, entirely 

 dependent on the sale of their produce, were therefore faced with 

 ruin when the interest on the mortgages on their farms liecame due. 

 In oidei- to come to their assistance the (iovernment appointed a 

 Coinmission to proceed to Gei-many to find an outlet for South 

 African produce, hut the negotiations failed. The Imperial Govern- 

 ment was then approached, and satisfactory arrangements were made 

 for tile purchase of the balance of the 1919-20 season's wool clip on 

 the basis of prices ruling during the season 1913-14. Owners of 

 wool who desired to sell were required to reg-ister their clips witliin 

 a certain period, and to deliver same to the Government through 

 brokers at the coast Vvho had been appointed as Government agents. 

 As the prices offered were considerably above the ruling market prices 

 for mo^t of the types, the offer was eagerly accepted by all who 

 held wool. Owing to the state of the market it was expected that the 

 deal would be a loss to tlie Imperia] Government, but in view of 

 the improvement that has taken place, a profit will probably be made. 



On account of the large stocks cf wool which had accimulated 

 in America, and in order to protect the interests of wool growers in 

 the United States of America, the Government of that country intro- 

 duced an Emergency Tariff in May, 1921, for a period of six months 

 (since extended), imposing a duty oi 15 cents per pound on grease 

 wool. This duty meant that Soutfi Africa was at a great disadvantage 

 in competing for the American market, owing to the heavier class 

 of wool grown in this country as compared with Australian wools. 



