30I 



THE EXPORTS OF BRITISH AND IRISH 

 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE. 



The great and increasing volume of the imports of food 

 products is so important a feature of the economic conditions 

 existing in this country that the dimensions of our exports of 

 these articles may appear in comparison to be almost 

 insignificant. Still, relatively small as is the outward current 

 of trade in British and Irish agricultural produce, it presents 

 some features of interest. For the past three years the 

 average annual value of the total exports of articles declared 

 to be of home production has amounted to, roughly, ^5, 000,000^ 

 exclusive of the exports of biscuits and bread. The various 

 products which contributed to this total may be grouped into 

 the several classes : live stock; meat; other animal products; 

 grain and flour ; seeds and vegetables ; provisions and food 

 unenumerated ; and other products. It should, however, 

 be observed that although the articles included in these 

 groups are declared to be British and Irish agricultural pro- 

 duce, it is possible that some portion of them may not come 

 strictly within this definition. Subject to this qualification^ 

 the aggregate value of the exports included in each class 

 is shown below : — 





1894. 



1895. 



1896. 





£ 





£ 





632,372 



756,011 



903,690 



Meat 



360,493 



397,539 



413,898 



Other animal products 



2,087,013 



2,596,973 



2,199,984 



Cereals and cereal products - 



416,574 



393,007 



417,672 



Vegetables, hops, and seeds 



591,442 



355,727 



335,937 



Provisions and raw materials for food - 



685,022 



798,225 



943,854 



Other products . - - - - 



208,561 



199,59^ 



122,642 



In the case of live stock, horses constitute the largest 

 single item, the exports of these animals having amounted 

 in value to an average of over 50,000 annually in the 



