Notes. 199 



Export of Maize : The 1919-20 Crop. 



On the 19tli August, 1920, the Controller of Imports and Exports 

 called for applications for the export of 500,000 bags of maize or 

 maize meal. On the 13th October he asked for applications for the 

 export of a further 500,000 bags. 



Allotments were made of 498,433 bags on the 9tli and 10th Sep- 

 tember, 1920, and of 591,250 bags on 27th and 28th October, a total 

 of 1,089,683 bags. 



Of the first allotment only 25,000 bags went to the co-operative 

 societies, and of the second allotment 250,000 bags. Of the total 

 allotment of 1,089,683 bags, 275,000 went to co-operative societies. 



According to the Railway Administration the following quantities 

 V ere railed : — 



September, 74,551 bags; October, 211,383 bags; November, 

 160,566 bags; December, 105,116 bags; a total of 551,616 

 bags. 



The Administration says that it was in a position to rail much 

 more than these quantities, but they were not asked by exporters to 

 rail more. 



The following were the oversea and Johannesburg prices respec- 

 tively, betAveen May, 1920, and 6th January, 1921: — 



- Oversea. Johannesburg. 



May, 1920 32s. 3d.— 33s. 4d. 28s.— 33s. 3d. 



June, 1920 29s. 2d.— 30s. 3d. 20s. 6d.— 23s. 9d. 



July, 1920 — 21 s. 6d.— 23s. 7d. 



August, 1920 ... 32s. 3d.— 33s. 4d. 19s. 3d.— 21s. 6d. 



September, 1920 33s. 4d. 21s.— 22s. 6d. 



October, 1920 ... 27s. 6d. 18s.— 20s. 2d. 



November, 1920 . 23s. lid. 13s. 9d.— 16s. 9d. 



December, 1920 . 23s. 9d. 13s.— 15s. 9d. 



6th Jan., 1921 .. — 12s. 9d.— 13s. lOd. 



It will be seen that prices dropped considerably and consistently 

 since September, and that railings for export dropped similarly since 

 October. 



The Argentine is the biggest exporting country, and the price 

 of maize in Europe depends almost entirely on Argentine production. 

 The production of the Argentine and the Union in 191.9 and 1920 

 was as follows : — 



1919. 1920. 



Argentine 62,840,000 bags. 72,497,000 bags. 



South Africa 11,598,000 bags. 12,327,000 bags. 



There seems to be no doubt that this large increase in the 

 Argentine production in 1920 over 1919, combined with increased 

 shipping facilities, chiefly caused the decline in prices. 



