64 



CCMMERCIAL F ISHERIES REVIEW 



Vol. 13, No. 4 



Exports of canned fish did not keep pace with production, amounting to a total 

 of only 1,357 thousand cases of canned fish. Including 846 thousand cases of sar- 

 dines, in an 11-month period. Exports of sardines for the year are estimated at 

 about one million cases. Total exports of canned sardines in oil or sauce were 

 17,423 metric tons (729,189 cases) in I95O against 16,925 metric tons in I949 

 (table 1). Sardine shipments to the United States in I95O were 120,701 cases, 

 compared to 57,319 cases in 1949. 



According to infoimants in the trade, however, nearly half of the I95O pack 

 remained unshipped at the end of the year. It is understood, however, that there 

 was a very good foreign demand for Portuguese sardines at the beginning of I95I, 

 and it is assumed that the large stocks in Portuguese warehouses will be shipped 

 during the first five months of I95I before the new fishing season gets underway. 



The British Government signed a collective contract with the Canned Fish 

 Institute on June 2 for the purchase of 500,000 cases of sardines of the I950-51 

 pack at a price of 29O escudos ($10.09) a case. The contract provided, however, 

 that if production ^ould fail to reach 2,000,000 cases only 25 percent of the 

 actual production need be reserved for the British contract. Actual exports to 

 Great Britain totaled only 5,375 metric tons or about 235,000 cases during I95O, 

 but it is anticipated that the balance of the contracted amoxmt will be shipped 

 early in I95I. 



Exports of anchovies were especially good, amounting to 2,888 tons in I95O 

 against 623 in I949. Over 80 percent of the exports went to the United States. 



"Hie return of the sardines, i«hile it brought relief to the canning industry, 

 created a new problem. The Canned Fish Institute, which had accumulated large 

 stocks of tin plate for which it saw no prospective market, disposed of a portion 

 of the stocks in May. It became evident by the end of July that additional sup- 

 plies would be needed and the Institute and the Portuguese Government, as well 

 as individual canners, made desperate efforts throughout the last 5 months of the 

 year to place orders for tin plate. Tnese efforts were largely futile. Until 

 new supplies of tin plate are received, the canners will be unable to prepare 

 stocks of cans for the new season, and if substantial supplies are not received 

 before the end of April, part of the new season's catch may be lost. 



Whaling Industry : Whale and sperm oil were exempted from export duty in a 

 legislative decree issued by the Portuguese government on September 11, I95O. The 

 exportation of whale oil in I95O amounted to 4,997 metric tons with a value of 

 24 million escudos ($832,800), a substantial increase over the I949 figures of 

 1.187 uetric tons worth 9 million escudos ($349,200). 



NOTE: VALUES CONVERTED TO AMERICAN CURRENCY ON THE BASIS OF THE FOLLOWING EXCHANGE RATES: 

 1950 - 1 PORTUGUESE ESCUDO EQUALS 3.47 U. S. CENTS; 1949 - 1 ESCUpO EQUALS 3.88 



U. S. CENTS. 



