816 Imports of Agricultural Produce in 1910. [jan. 7 



IMPORTS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE IN 1910. 



The total value of the principle articles of food imported 

 into the United Kingdom in 1910 was ^189,433,000, as 

 against ^191,505,000 in 1909, ^183,957,000 in 1908, 

 ,^88,353,000 in 1907, ^181,604,000 in 1906, and an average 

 of ^177,047,000 in the three years 1903-1905. These figures 

 represent the value (cost, insurance, and freight), as declared 

 to the Customs officers at the port of arrival, of the grain and 

 flour, meat and animals for food, butter, cheese, eggs, con- 

 densed milk, fruit and vegetables, hops, lard, and margarine, 

 which may be grouped together as agricultural food products 

 in the sense that they compete more or less directly with the 

 home supply. 



The decrease in value during the past year as compared 

 with 1909 was due to the diminished cost, on the whole, of 

 the grain and grain products imported, the total value of the 

 items included under this general heading amounting to only 

 ^77,298,000, as compared with ^83,107,000 in 1909. On 

 the other hand, the value of meat (of all kinds) and of butter, 

 though not exceptional, was higher than in the preceding 

 year. 



Cattle mid Beef, — The past year has seen a further decline 

 in the number of live cattle imported into the United Kingdom, 

 the number received being less than in any year since 1877. 

 Only two countries (apart from the Channel Islands) partici- 

 pate in this trade, viz., the United States and Canada, and 

 the diminution in the export is no doubt attributable to the 

 increased demand for cattle in the United States. 



The decline in this direction was more than compensated 

 for by the extensive imports of beef, chiefly chilled and 

 frozen, which amounted in the aggregate to 7,015,000 cwt., 

 the highest figure yet recorded. The main source of supply 

 is Argentina, from which country 2,711,000 cwt. of chilled 

 beef, and 2,188,000 cwt. of frozen beef were received. A 

 noticeable feature here is the extension of the chilled beef 

 trade (representing the better class of meat), which increased 

 to the above figure from 1,827,000 cwt. in the preceding year, 

 whereas the frozen beef imports showed some decline. The 

 chilled beef averaged 365. 6d. per cwt., while the frozen beef 

 was several shillings lower, viz., 30s. 3d. per cwt. The 



