EXPORTS PROM CANADA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 7

EXPORTS PROM CANADA.

MARKET FOR WHEAT* AMERICA'S FORDNEY TARIFF,-, FINDING OF NEW OUTLETS. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ; TORONTO, Nov. 15. < From £31,899,600 in 1921 to £12,885,400 in 1927! This in brief tells the story, of what happened to Canada's export trade to the United States in agricultural products in the last seven years., The Fordney tariff was put into force in 1922 primarily for the purpose of "protecting" the American farmer from his Canadian neighbour, who was able to undersell him at home. The Fordney tariff, was successful in keeping out Canadian imports. Whether it bettered the condition of the American farmer is for the latter to decide. From the outside it does not appear that he is any too happy. On the other hand, what has happened to the Canadian farmer ? The. Fordney tariff was designed to give him a body blow. It threatened to set him back for many years. And as far as the United States market is concerned the figures tell their .own story. Yet the astonishing fact is that the Canadian farmer is more soundly prosperous to-day than he has ever been. When the United States market was cut off the Canadian farmer courageously faced the situation, went out after new markets and intensively cultivated connections already established in an effort to replace what* Uncle Sam had cut off. How well he has succeeded is illustrated by the case of flour. For years the United States was recognised as one of the principal markets for Canadian flour. Millers on this side were producing a superior product and one that was much in demand. Wheat flour was taken off the free list and a duty of 1.04 per 1001b. was put in force. As a consequence, wheat flour shipments to the States dropped from 1,250,804bb15., valued at £2,435,512. in 1921, to 6664, worth £9413, in 1927. But to-day there are forty-seven different countries importing Canadian wheat flour. And the United States, instead of standing near the top of the list, ranks thirty-sixth. In 1921 the United States bought 48,000,000 bushels of Canadian wheat, having a value of £19,400,000. The Fordney duty was 42 cents a bushel, intended to be prohibitive. Curiously, it is nat quite prohibitive, for imports last year still amounted to £2,000,000. It was still found worth while to pay 42 cents a bushel duty to buy 7,000,000 bushels of Canadian wheat. Of course there is a demand everywhere in the world for Canadian wheat on account of its quality. And the Canadian farmer with his wheat pool believes he is in a position to take advantage of that demand. The effect of the Fordney tariff in the case of livestock and their products has not been quite so marked. Cattle entered the United States duty free before the Fordney tariff, which imposed a duty of cents to 2 cents a pound. As a result imports dropped from £3,000,000 in 1921 to £1,200,030 in 1927. Horses, poultry, sheep, declined in similar ratio.. Packing product exports actually increased in some departments, while declining in others. Exports in grains other than wheat, such as barley, oats, buckwheat, rye, were stifled by the Fordney tariff. Although the tariff f gainst the importation of milk and its products has been raised all along the line, exports of all products to the States, with the exception of condensed and powdered milk, and butter, show very heavy .increases during the past seven ye?rs. In the case of cheese,, for example, although the duty was doubled, exports to the United States have increased three hundred fold.