- 60 * 
prices at time of delivery. Prices on futures may be auoted as early 
as July and often from a third to half of the estimated crop is sold 
from that time until September. Crop conditions and probable price 
trends determine the cruantitifs that are sold early. Owing to crop 
uncertainties and trade losses during, the last three years, future sales 
have declined considerably. 
Export distribut io n of Yugo s lav d r ied pru n es 
The most important export markets for Yugoslav prunes are Germany, 
Czechoslovakia, Italy, Austria and Hungary. Germany is by far the most 
important export outlet, having taken during the four years 1925-1928 
about 37 per cent of the total as against an annual average of 33 per 
cent during the five years 1920-1924. There has been a tendency to 
i.gnore Yugoslav prunes in northwest Germany in recent years due to the 
declining tonnage of the Yugoslav export surplus, and to the availability 
of superior Quality American prunes which have proved more suitable for 
packing than the less carefully dried Yugoslav prune. This tendency has 
not been so true of southern Germany, howe\ :r, where special faciliti.es 
have been established for packing Yugoslav bulk prunes. 
Exports to Czechoslovakia have increased greatly in recent years, 
shipment? lo that market during the four years 1925-1928 having avenged 
20 per cent of the total as against only 3 per cent of the total during 
the five years 1920-1925. This tendency is of considerable significance 
to Pacific Coast shippers as the declining tonnage in Yugoslavia and in- 
creased purchases by Czechoslovakia may cause a corresponding increases 
in the demand for American prunes in northwest Germany. 
Exports to Austria during the four years 1925-1928 averaged 12 
per cert o.t the total as against 22 per cent during the five years 1920" 
192 Austria takes bulk prunes mainly and paCits a considerable portion 
of thu imports for the reexport trade chiefly to Poland. The steady 
decline in the Austrian imports from Yugoslavia in recent years is due 
to the fact that the Vienna packers have been drawing more and more upon 
the United States for their supply of bgc prunes. 
Exports to Italy during the four years 1925-1928 averted 13 per 
cent of the total as against 22 per cent during 1920-1924. Practically 
all of: the Yugoslav prunes shipped to Italy consist of boxed stocic. 
Annual exports to Hungary dur ing 1925-1928 remained at about the same 
level as during the preceeding five years. Average shipments to Denmark, 
Poland, Holland and Belgium show increases during the four years 1925- 
]928 but those to England, France, Greece, Switzerland and all other 
countries show a decline. The table on pa fc e 34 gives the exports of 
dried prunes from Yugoslavia in recent years by countries of destination. 
