1236 



Imports of Food. 



[mar., 



IMPORTS OF FOOD. 



The year 191 9 may be regarded as transitional between the 

 close of war conditions and the resettlement of trade on a peace 

 foundation. Foreign and colonial markets are once more 

 opening wider their doors to the British purchaser, and in the 

 matter of food supphes the British farmer is again confronted 

 with the prospect of increased competition from overseas. 

 The returns relating to the agricultural imports and exports 

 of the United Kingdom for the year 191 9 contained in the 

 Trade and Navigation Accounts recently issued by the Board 

 of Trade* show the extent to which this trade has so far been 

 able to recover as a result of the cessation of hostilities. The 

 returns cannot, of course, be taken to represent the first year's 

 working of trade under normal peace conditions. Trade 

 restrictions and the enforcement of the German Blockade 

 continued to some extent during the year, while as a special 

 relief measure the Alhed Governments made provision for 

 supplies of food to be sent to meet the needs of starving Europe, 

 which in times of more settled harvests might compete freely 

 in international trading. 



The total value of the principal articles of agricultural 

 produce imported into the United Kingdom, as declared at the 

 port of arrival, during the last seven years, was as follows : — 



I 



1919 .. .. .. .. 452,048,000 



1918 .. .. .. .. 423,822,000 



1917 .. .. 357,181,000 



1916 305.493.000 



1915 .. .. .. .. 276,648,000 



1914 .. .. .. .. 211,591,000 



1913 213,457,000 



These figures represent the value of the grain and flour, meat 

 and animals for food, butter, cheese, eggs, condensed milk, 

 fruit and vegetables, hops, lard and margarine, which may be 

 grouped together as agricultural products in the sense that 

 they compete more or less directly with the products of the 

 farmers of the United Kingdom. 



The value of our imports during 191 9 has thus increased 

 6-6 per cent, on the previous year, and 111-3 per cent, on 1913. 

 WTiile the figures for 191 9 as to quantity may be said generally 

 to show an increase over those for 191 8, in a number of the main 

 articles of import the increase is very small, while others show 



* Obtainable from H.P.I. Stationery Office, Imperial House, Kingsway, 

 London, W.C. 2, price is. 6i. net. 



