6o6 



Imports of Agricultural Produce. [Jan., 



in 1903, but at the same time a smaller increase than has 

 been recorded for several years past. The total value amounted 

 to ^4 1,5 36,000, the largest sum since 1883. The changes 

 which have taken place in our sources of supply have been 

 previously referred to in this Journal, but it may be stated 

 briefly that the striking feature of the year was the small 

 importation from the United States, which only amounted to' 

 6,091,000 cwt, whereas in 1903 the returns showed an im- 

 portation of 24,198,000 cwt., and in 1902 of 43,313,000 cwt. 

 The countries which have supplied the needs of this country 

 during the past year have been India (25,485,000 cwt), Russia 

 (23,529,500 cwt), Argentina (21,440,400 cwt.), Australia and 

 New Zealand (10,630,700 cwt), and Canada (6,195,300 cwt). 

 The decline in the receipts of flour referred to above was due 

 to a drop in the supply of American flour from 16,223,000 cwt. 

 in 1903 to 8,252,600 cwt. in 1904. 



Table IV. 

 Imports of Grain and Flour. 



Description. 



Quantities. 



Values. 



1903. 



1904. 



1903. 



1904. 



Wheat 



Wheat Meal and Flour 



Barley 



Oats 



Oatmeal 

 Maize ... 



Maize Meal 



Peas 



Beans ... 



Other Corn and Meal ... 

 Total 



Cwt. 

 88, 131,030 

 20,601,448 

 26,555,867 

 16,283,763 



728,973 

 50,099,328 



590,416 

 1,829,923 

 1,765,700 

 1,824,574 



Cwt. 

 97,813,600 

 14,722,893 

 27,152,320 

 14,097,900 



648,745 

 42,898,780 



316,660 

 2,179,456 

 1,862,734 

 1,660,434 



£ 



29,940,191 

 9723.652 

 7,221,789 

 4,263,950 



537,415 

 12,465,583 

 176,622 

 690,768 

 594,833 

 576,503 



£ 



34,277,689 

 7,258,606 



7,i6p,6oa 

 3>729,677 

 456,703 

 10,247,214 

 100,940 

 767,029 

 577,094 

 513,844' 







66,191,305 



65,090,396 



There was a slight increase in the importation of barley, but 

 a decrease in the case of oats of 2,186,000 cwt, which brought 

 this cereal to a lower figure than in any year since 1893. 

 Taking these two grains together, Russia contributed 46 per 

 cent, of the total supply from abroad. 



Maize was imported from the Argentine Republic to the 

 extent of 23,266,000 cwt., being the largest recorded exports 

 to [this country from the River Plate ; but this did not suffice 

 to make up for the falling off in the supply from the United. 



