353 
1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. 1920. 
Sultanas— dad daiadaéid d. 
Four crown .. .. .. .. 8% 8% 834 9 — 
Three crown .. .. .. . 8% 8 844 834 11% 
Two crown... ........ 8% 7% 814 81% 11% 
One crown .. .. .. .. 7% 7h 74 8B 10% 
Lexias— 
Five crown .. .. .. . 7TH 63% 7% 7% 10 
Four crown .. .. .. .. 7 64% 7 Ty 934 
Lexias, 2 and 3 crown, for seeding only, are fixed at 9d., as 
against 614d. last year, seeded raisins in cartons 11s. 6d. per dozen, 
against 9s., and loose 104d. per lb., against 734d. per lb. 
This year’s prices are abnormally high and not likely to be 
maintained, while it is reasonable to expect the prices ruling for 
the four previous season’s will be obtained for some years to come. 
Favourable conditions of soil and climate, a liberal protective 
tariff, and an increasing demand for godd grade raisins, sultanas 
and currants have made Raisin drying one of our most popular and 
profitable rural pursuits. 
For the last five years the home prices of dried grape fruits 
have benefited: 1st by the disorganisation of the Mediterranean 
production of currants and raisins during the war; 2nd by 
the organisation of the industry which aimed at maintaining the 
price of the locally dried article by the compulsory exportation 
of a considerable portion of the crop. On account of the war the 
exported product found sales at a profitable price on barren 
markets; 3rd by the increased home consumption, which is 
estimated as follows :— 
Currants. Sultanas. Lexias. 
tons. tons. tons. 
TOW ee on oa aes 3,000 3,900 1,250 
£920) 22 sen Gai ws 4,200 6,500 1,700 
During the war, too, the importation of spirits from oversea 
had met with restrictions which have brought about an enormous 
increase in the value, and the substitution of Australian spirits for 
the imported article. Because of this, large quantities of grapes 
have been absorbed by the distilleries which otherwise would have 
been dealt with as dried fruit. 
With the return of normal conditions, keener competition 
must be encountered on the export markets for the largely in- 
creased output of the considerable areas planted of late years 
with vines. Cost of production has also so much increased lately 
that it is essential, for vine growing to prosper, that larger outlets 
for the increasing crops be found. 
