Imports of Agricultural Produce. 



459 



like 21,362,000 cwts., compared with about 20,663,000 cwts. in 

 the previous year, or an increase of about 700,000 cwts. 



The decline noted in 1898 in the imports of dairy produce 

 has not been continued, the total value of the milk, butter, 

 margarine, cheese, and eggs imported having last year been 

 about £2,570,000 more ; our total expenditure on these com- 

 modities amounting to £3 1 ,778,000. Excepting only fresh milk 

 and cream, all these products came in increased quantities. 



Table II. — Imports of Dairy Produce. 



Description. 



Quantities. 



Values. 



1898. 



1899. 



1898. 



1899. 



■ 



Butter - 



Margarine 



Cheese - 



Milk, Condensed 



Milk and Cream, Fresh - 



Cwts. 



3,209,153 

 900,615 



2,339,4S2 

 817,274 

 10,691 



Gt. Hundreds. 



Cwts. 

 3,389,851 



953,175 

 2,389,313 



824,618 



7,859 

 Gt.Hundreds. 



£ 



15,961,783 



2,384,384 

 4,970,242 



1,435,95! 

 n,i93 



£ 



17,213,516 

 2,549,376 



S>S l 5>°9i 

 1,456,033 

 16,068 



Eggs - 



14,424,601 



16,174,760 



4,457, "7 



5,044,392 



The largest receipt of butter again came from Denmark, 

 although the quota thence (1,430,000 cwts.) was slightly less 

 than in 1898. France, with 354,000 cwts., and Holland 

 with 285,000 cwts., send us the next largest supplies to 

 those furnished by Denmark, and Canada now takes the fourth 

 place among the countries supplying us, 250,000 cwts. having 

 been received from that colony. The total increase in butter 

 imports is mainly accounted lor by Canada, Victoria, the 

 United States, and New Zealand. The French shipments 

 fell off by 63,000 cwts., and the Swedish (246,000 cwts. in 1899) 

 by about 50,000 cwts. Of the other countries exhibiting an 

 increase, the United States exports to our ports rose from 

 67,000 to 159,000 cwts., the Victorian from 124,000 to 212,000- 

 cwts., and the New Zealand from 70,000 to 112,000 cwts. 

 The average value per cwt. was declared at 101s. 6d., as 

 compared with 99s. 6d. in the previous year. 



An increase amounting to nearly 6 per cent, is to be 

 remarked in margarine in 1890, and the quantity is the 



