428 



Imports of Grain, 1907-8. 



[SEPT., 



foreign countries for grain to supplement the home pro- 

 duction of 1907. 



The yield of wheat in the United Kingdom in 1907 amounted 

 to 7,066,000 qrs., which was about 500,000 qrs. less than 

 that produced in 1906, and the imports for the cereal 

 year 1907-8 were also less than those of the previous year. 

 In 1906-7 the quantity received was 94,737,000 cwts., while in 

 the year 1907-8 which has just ended it was 91,555,000 cwts. 

 Converting these figures into quarters (of 480 lb.), the total 

 supply of home and foreign wheat was 28,429,000 qrs. in 

 1907-8, as compared with 29,682,000 qrs. in 1906-7. To this 

 must be added the imported wheat-meal and flour, viz., 

 13,389,000 cwts. in 1907-8 and 13,221,000 cwts. in 1906-7, 

 quantities which may be taken as equivalent to 4,339,000 qrs. 

 and 4,284,000 qrs. respectively of wheat grain, making with 

 the imports and the home production a total available for 

 consumption of 32,768,000 qrs. of wheat in 1907-8 and 

 33,966,000 qrs. in 1906-7. Exclusive of stocks carried over, 

 the aggregate imports and home production of wheat, including 

 wheat-meal and flour, have been as follows during the last 

 five years : — 



Quarters. 



1903- 04 34,030,000 



1904- 05 32,796,000 



1905- 06 34,283,000 



1906- 07 33,966,000 



1907- 08 32,768,000 



On the whole it will be seen that the amount available for 

 consumption has shown no tendency to increase during the 

 past five years. 



With regard to the countries contributing to the supply, 

 the receipts from each of the principal sources are given in the 

 following table : — 



Country of Export. 



Thousands of Cwts. 



1907-08. 



1906-07. 



1905-06. 



1904-05. 



India 



10,480 



14,613 



n,743 



29,083 



.Russia ... 



4,455 



12,843 



i.8,377 



28,823 



Argentina 



28,128 



22,179 



22,890 



24,085 



United States ... 



25,273 



20,319 



I7,9i7 



4,558 



Canada ... 



13, 57^ 



11,085 



11,177 



3,547 



Australia 



6,264 



7,769 



7,488 



12,758 



