PRODUCE & MARKET REPORTS FROM DAY TO DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 72, 27 March 1933, Page 10

PRODUCE & MARKET REPORTS FROM DAY TO DAY

BRITISH TRADE

SHARE OF DOMINIONS

POSITION OF FOREIGN

COUNTRIES

'^Evening Post," March 27.

An analysis of the trade returns of the United, Kingdom for 1932 shows that while British imports of' merchandise from foreign countries' has . declined when comparison is made with those of 1931, those from a number of British Dominions and Colonies: have'increased.

Although the value of merchandise imported by the United Kingdom from foreign countries in 1932 ' fell by '.£ 159,700,000, the value of Empire imports increased from £247,400,000 in 1931 to £249,014,729 in 1932.

Empire purchases from Great Britain in 1932 fell away less seriously than those of the rest of the world—£s,ooo,ooo, as against £20,000,000. * In the last quarter of 1932 Dominions and Colonies were purchasing more from Great Britain, than they did in the corresponding period of the previous year. Analysis of figures for 1932 suggests that there has been a substantial transfer of trade from foreign countries to the Dominions. The following table shows the drop in the value of British imports from a number of countries:—

Notwithstanding the above reduction, the British trade balance is still seriously adverse in the case of the United States, which took only £15,098,000 of BritTsh exports last year, as against £18,245,000 in 1931. Germany took £14,580,000, as against £18,411,000, and Denmark £9,860,000, against , £8,656,000. The following British countries show notable increases in their exports to Great Britain:—

For 1932 New Zealand-exports to -the United Kingdom were £31,172,453, and imports therefrom were £11,496,027. For 1931, the position was: New Zealand exports, £30,545,823; imports, £12,199,501. 'Many. British countries show increases. In the case of some Dominions and Colonies an apparent drop in value, due to the fall. of commodity prices, really represents ah increase of' trade in bulk. The dispute with the! Irish1 Free State is reflected in a fall of £10,000,000 in total value of its products received into Great Britain in 1932. The fall in British exports to the Free State compared with 1931 was £4,700,000. In January the value of Irish cattle imported into England was only £426 658 compared with £1,085,623 in the corresponding month last year, 1932.

1931. £ Russia i 32,285,000 Denmark ...... 46,695,000 .Germany ....... 64,162,000 ■Netherlands 35,198,000 Belgium 33,189,000 France .....' 40,921,000 United States .,. 104,009,000 1932. £ 19,697,000 40,556,000 30.410,000 22,000,000 15,989,000 19,022,000 83,671,000

1031. 1932. & £ Canada 32,840,000 43,145,000 Australia 45,679,000 46,192,000 South Africa 13,120,000 ' 15,529,000 Sudan . ....... i . 977,000 2,835,000 Jamaica ' ........ 2,414,000 ' • 2/961,000 B. Guiana 577,000 , ; 1,093,000 Mauritius 1,683,000 , 2,160,000