BRITAIN'S DAIRY IMPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 456, 15 March 1909, Page 2

BRITAIN'S DAIRY IMPORTS.

THEIR VOLUME AND SOURCES. It has been said that Britain'is dependent upon imported supplies for its bread and meat, and it may lie added for its Imttoi and clicese also. 'Hie imports of Initter during 1908 amounted to -1,211,190c\vt., of the declared value of £24,0812,51)7, which, compared with the corresponding figures for 1907, show, an increase of 0.02 per cent, in respect to quantity and 7.43 per cent, in rcspeet to declared value. Last year's figures therefore wero about the same as in 1907, when the quantity was less by 2.95 per cent, than in 1900. As to (he sources of butter supply, and taking the foreign countries first, it is found that whilst in 1900 Jinssia sent only 9.3!) per cent of the whole, she sent in 1903 15.00 per cent. The Swedish supplies also have increased; they were in 190G 4.87 per cent, of the total, but in 1908 they had risen to 5.07 per cent. Denmark, which is tlio largest contributor, sent in 1906 -10.28 of the total, and last year 44.09 per cent, a yery considerable increase. The quantity sent from Germany is not of great importance, being 0.10 per cent, of the total for 1900 and 0.07 per cent, for 1908. The importation from Franc,e has also increased; in 190(i it amounted to 8.50, and in 1908 to 9.37 per cent. The quantities imported from Holland and the United Slates wore in both cases less in 1908 than in 19015, the respective percentages being 5.90 aiid 1.G2 in 1900, and 5.H) and 0.91 in 1908. In 190S 81.10 per cent, of i.lic butter imported was of foreign origin, as compared with 70.92 per cent, in 1900. Of the supplies of butter from tho colonies, all except just over 1.18 per cent, cane from Australia and New Zealand. In 1908 there was received from .Victoria 4.58 por cent., New South AVales 3.29 per cent., Queensland 1.00 per cent., and from New Zealand 5.25 per cent. of the aggregate quantity imported, which, together with that of Canada, made up an aggregate percentage of 15.8G per cent, of the total quantity imported in 1903. Looking back' to 1900, it is found that these same sources of supply sent in that year 21.48 per cent, of tho whole. The remainder of the butter imported comes from countries not separately classified, and amounted in 190S to 2.90 pel cent, of tho quantity imported. The quantity of margarine imported in 1908 was 813,417cwt. This is 8.09 per cent, less than in 1907. Tho contributors were i) 1908; Norway, 0.59 per cent.; Holland, 93.77 por cent.; and France, 3.33 per cent. Tho returns in respect to cheese would appear to indicate that there is a tc'ulcncy for smaller supplies to be sent. The aggregate quantity imported in 1908 was 2,300,OSOcwt., or 2.83 per cent, less than a year previously, and if this year be compared with 1900 it will be found there was a reduction of 10.10 per cent. Tho declared value of the quantity imported in 1908 was £0,084,203, showing, when 'compared with 1907, a reduction of 3.19 per cent. The sources from which the cheeso supplies arc derived are: Holland, whose quota was 11.11 per cent.; France, which sent 2.10 pei cent.; tho United States, which sent 4.57 per cent.; and tho colonies. Tho colonial supplies were 78.30 per cent, of the whole. The larger proportion of this (00.84 per cent.) came from Canada, but this quantity, when compared with that received from the same country in 1900, shows a _ considerable reduction, for in that year it was 72.93 por cent, of the whole. Tho Canadian falling-ell lias, however, been made up by tho increased supplies from New Zealand. That country sent during tho past year 11.49 pei cent, of tho whole of the cheese imports, as compared with -1.78 per cent, in 1900. The quantity received from countries not separately given was in 1903 2.74 pc-r cent, oi the whole, as compared with 3.05 per cent, in 1900.