16 



Prior to 1870 the average currant crop appears to have been about 75,000 tons, 

 the whole of which found a very ready market. Towards that time European 

 vineyards began to die out before the attacks of the phylloxera, and as in 

 the south of Europe wine practically forms a staple article of diet of the 

 whole population, wine merchants proceeded to buy up in the East all dried 

 fruit available, including currants, from which wine could be made. The 

 misfortunes of European vinegrowers gave a tremendous impetus to currant- 

 planting in Greece, with the result that production at the present time is 

 between 185,000 tons and 190,000 tons a year. So long as Europe required 

 currants for wine-making purposes there was no particular difficulty in dis- 

 posing of this large crop. In the course of time, however, European vine- 

 yards were gradually built up again on American stocks, and this particular 

 opening for surplus currants was lost. At the present moment the world's 

 consumption of currants is much below the annual production of Grecian 

 vineyards. Thus, according to Mr. Alban Young, in his report on Greek 

 finances for 1907-8, the world's consumption of currants in 1905-6 was 

 represented by 112,500 tons, in 1906-7 by 116,000 tons, and in 1907-8 

 by 120,000 tons. 



Thus each year a heavy surplus has been left on the hands of growers and 

 merchants, with the result that the market has become completely disorganised. 

 The importance of the interests concerned has been so great and the outcries 

 so emphatic that for the last 15 years or so the Government has been 

 endeavoring by special legislation to dodge the economic Nemesis that 

 threatens Greek currant-growers. It is unnecessary to detail all the expe- 

 dients that have been resorted to ; it may be stated, however, that for the 

 most part they appear to have been illusory. In ultimate resort the further 

 planting of currant vines has been prohibited by law, and a new law has 

 been introduced, giving power to the " Privileged Currant Company " to 

 cause the uprooting of surplus vineyards, subject to the payment of adequate 

 compensation. 



That the currant industry is in the throes of a painful crisis must be evident 

 to anybody cursorily examining the vineyards. Many of the latter are very 

 carefully tilled and cared for ; but, on the other hand, many appear to be 

 wholly abandoned and neglected. I was informed by Mr. F. B. Wood, 

 British Consul at Patras, who is himself a currant-grower, that in present 

 circumstances currant-growing is unremunerative to the large grower who 

 has to pay for labor, and that in consequence currant-growing is rapidly 

 falling into the hands of peasants, who do all the work with their families. 

 According to Mr. Wood, the working expenses of a currant vineyard are 

 represented by 70 drachmas per stremma, that is to say, about 11 an acre. 

 This estimate certainly appears very heavy, particularly when labor is only 

 paid at the rate of 2s. 6d. a day for men and Is. 3d. a day for women. It 

 should be noted, however, that absolutely everything in the currant vineyard 



