496 



Imports of Agricultural Produce. 



Wool again shows a decrease, 37,620,001 fewer pounds being 

 received than in 1902, which was mainly attributable to a falling 

 off of 45,825,153 lb. from Australia, though France also sent 

 1 1,985,3 14 lb. less than in 1902. To some extent these decreases 

 were made up by an increased supply from Turkey, South 

 America, British South Africa, British East Indies, and New 

 Zealand. The re-exports, 285,000,000 lb., were only 800,000 lb. 

 more than in the previous year, so that the quantity retained 

 for home consumption was 315,000,000 lb., as compared with 

 354,000,000 lb. in 1902. There was a rise in the average value, 

 the figure being 8Jd. per lb. as against 7^d. in the previous year. 

 Imports of lard, nearly 92 per cent, of which comes from theUnited 

 States, have increased, but the average value per hundredweight 

 has declined from 49s. 1 id. to 44s. 8d. Tallow and stearine again 

 show a decline, the United States being the only country which 

 has increased its supply. Whereas in most recent years, except 

 1901, the import from Australia were more than double that 

 from the United States, ' in 1903 the quantities received were 

 300,750 cwt. from the United States and only 188,265 cwt. from 

 Australia. The value of the imports of poultry and game again 

 exceeded that of any previous year. 



The imports of wheat and wheat flour expressed as grain 

 amounted to 116,743,000 cwt, which is a larger amount than in 

 any previous year, and 8,764,000 cwt. more than in 1902. There 

 has been a considerable drop in the receipts of wheat grain 

 from the United States, the decrease, as compared with 1902, 

 amounting to 19,116,835 cwt., so that whereas 54 per cent, of the 

 total importation in 1902 came from the States, in 1903 this 

 country only accounted for 27 per cent., or just half its former 

 proportion. Russia has increased its exports by 10,635,845 cwt., 

 Argentina by 9,805,290 cwt., and the British East Indies by 

 8,216,256 cwt. Our receipts from Australia fell from 5,437,700 

 cwt. in 1 90 1 and 4,174,753 cwt. in 1902 to 26 cwt. in 1903. The 

 average value of the imported wheat grain was 6s. iod. per 

 hundredweight, as against 6s. 8d. in 1902 and 6s. yd. in 1901. 



The imports of barley show an increase of 1,347,241 cwt. ; 

 the supply from Russia, which now sends us 46 per cent, of 

 the total importation, having increased by 2,061,353 cwt., while 

 the United States and Roumania sent less than in 1902. The 



