144 

 EXPORT. 



During the last five years the exports of bananas have nearly 

 doubled, as shown by the following table which gives number of 

 bunches and value to end of March in each year : — 



Years. Quantities. Values. 



Bunches. £ s. d. 



1901 8/248,485 618,636 7 6 



1900 8,046,404 603,480 6 



1899 7,497,281 468,580 1 3 



1898 6,981,858 445,866 3 9 



1897 4,838,645 302,415 6 3 



The Direct Line of steamers from Jamaica to England commenced 

 running at the beginning of the year 190 1. The following table gives 

 the exports for the last nine months to December 28, as compared 

 with those of the same months the previous year : — 

 Countries to which From April 1 to From April 1 to 



Exported. Dec 28, 1901. Dec. 29, 1900. 



United Kingdom ... 573,392 861 



United States .. 8,146,493 6,496,300 



Canada ... 1,505 3,393 



Other countries ... 1,778 1,428 



Total 8,723,168 6,501,982 



PRICES. 



In England the best prices are obtained in March, April, May, and, 

 later in the year, in August, September and October. Bananas from 

 the Canary Islands average 5s. to 10s. per bunch packed in crates ; 

 those from Jamaica are sold as low as from 3s. 6d. to 5s. in order to 

 encourage the sale. The rates paid by Messrs Elders, Fyffes and 

 Co. in Jamaica are Is. 9d. per bunch of at least 9 hands, — one of 8 

 hands being counted as three quarters of a bunch, and one of 7 hands 

 as half a bunch. 



The following were the wholesale prices in New York : — 

 1900. 



August, $1.00, September 90c, October 90c, November $1.00, 

 December 90c. 

 1901. 



January 90c, February 90c , March 90c, April $1.25, May $1.20, 

 June $1.25, July $1.25, August $1.-10. 



The prices given by the United Fruit Company per 100 bunches to 

 those who contracted to supply a certain number all the year round 

 are as follow : — 



January £6, February £7 10s., March £10, April £12 10*., May 

 £12 10s, June £11 10s., July £7 lOs., August £5 10s., October 

 £6 5s., November £6 5s , December £5 10. 



[Issued Sept. 20th, 1902.] 



