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84
It will be noted from the foregoing that of the food passing through the
Central Markets in 1901, only 38.8 per cent. was "home grown," the
remaining 61.2 per cent. being supplied from abroad.
The Chart shows clearly enough that the foreign and Colonial producer is
steadily capturing a trade formerly entirely in the hands of the English grazier.
As a very large business is done at Smithfield in imported fresh meat, I
append a summary of such imports into the United Kingdom during the past
two years, the details of which are abstracted from the Meat Trades Review.
This imported fresh meat was valued as under :—
Beef£8,906,839
Mutton ,597,780
Pork 1,715,633
Total £17,220,252
If we add to this the value of imported live stock, viz. :—
Cattle £8,817,064
Sheep 582,969
£9,400,033
we find that no less a sum than £26,620,285 was paid to foreigners
for imported Jresh meat and live stock alone in one year, viz., 1901.
These figures are significant, and are still more impressive when we bear
in mind that they are ever growing, £1,605,473 being the increase in 1901
over the amount for the previous year.
Fresh Meat Imports into United Kingdom during 1901.
UNITED STATES.
Beef. Pork.
1900 143,362 tons. 1900 -
1901 159,014 „ 1901 17,446 tons.
Increase 15,652 tons. Increase 17,446 tons.
HOLLAND.
Mutton. Pork.
1900 16,566 tons. 1900 19,459 tons.
1901 15,814 „ 1901 18,853 „
Decrease 752 tons. Decrease - 606 tons.