460 



Imports of Agricultural Produce. 



largest imported since 1S94. As usual, nearly the whole of 

 it came from Holland. 



Cheese shows only a small increase — about 2 per cent. 

 From Canada we obtained 1,337,000 cwts., or 05,000 cwts. less 

 than in 1898. This loss was apparently the gain of the United 

 ■ States, which sent 105,000 cwts. more, or 591,000 cwts. 

 in all. The average declared value rose from 42s. 6d. to 46s. 

 per cwt. 



The increase in eggs is large, the additional 1,750,000 great 

 hundreds representing an advance of 12 per cent. More 

 eggs were received from nearly all countries, except Canada, 

 whence the imports fell from 745,000 to 047,000 great hundred 0 -. 

 Russia again increased its pre-eminence as an exporter, 

 'advancing- its supplies from 3,646,000 to 4,319,000 great 

 ^hundreds. Germanv, with 3,455,000 great hundreds, also 

 showed an increase of 600,000. Nearly all the remainder 

 came from Denmark, Belgium, and France, in practically 

 equal amounts, viz., from 2 J to 2 -J million great hundreds. 

 There is recorded a very slight increase in value, viz., 6s. 3d. 

 per great hundred, instead ot 6s. 2d., in spite of the increasing 

 -preponderance of the cheap Russian eggs, valued, on the 

 average, at 5s. od. per great hundred in 1S99. 



The receipts of condensed milk were very slightly larger 

 in the past year, but their value is quoted as greater by 

 about 2d. per cwt. Fresh milk and cream, however, of 

 which the imports were considerably smaller, exhibited an 

 •important rise in value, the average, 41s. per cwt., comparing 

 with 2 is. per cwt. in 1S98, a change probably indicating- the 

 greater proportion of cream now imported. It may be noted 

 that from France, which was the chief source of supply in 

 11898, the imports were under 2,500 cwts. against 7,330 in the 

 previous year. The French imports were valued at 15s. _jd. 

 in 1800 as compared with 6s. 9d. per cwt. in 189S, a sign of 

 considerable change in the character of the importation. Den- 

 mark, which sent 1,209 cwts. of milk and cream in 180S at an 

 average value of something under 35s. per cwt., sent last year 

 •more than twice as much, 2,8SS cwts. at a value of 53s. iod. per 

 cwt. It thus appears that the average declared value of all 

 kinds of imported dairy produce, except margarine, was 

 •higher in 1899 than in 1898. 



