Evening journal., 1915-06-07
PRICE OF FOOD IS
HIGH IN HOLLAND
Exports at Beginning Of.
War Responsible For
the Prices
FURTHER EXPORTS
NOW FORBIDDEN

THE HAGUE. June 7.-Holland IS
now suffering from high food prices,
the result of various causes, chief of
which was the rush of Dutch pro-
ducers at the beginning of the war
to take advantage of the increased de-
mand from abroad and the consequent
ly augmented rates offered by for
eign buyers
Retail prices of a number of ar
ticles of consumption have risen in
ever-increasing ratio ever since the
outbreak of hostilities Statistics COW
ering q articles have been compiled,
and there show that. figuring tho aver
age cost at 100 during the past 20
years, the prices have now risen by
so per cent Prices, however, had
started going up some time before the
war In fact. since 1907 they have been
rising steadily two or three points
year until July, 1914 when they stood
at 113. From August to December
last year they iudmped suddenly to
121, in January this year they had
mounted to 1873. in February 10 1870,
and they are still going up.
Meat, especially pork has gone up
considerably in price. Part Of this
increase is due to the rise in fodder.
| hay and oilcake. but much of it has
been brought about by the passing
over the frontier into Germany Of
live animals. whose further export
however, has been forbidden Meat
also has been exported i'm large guam
titles, Germany taking in February
this year alone about S.750,OOO pounds
] n nrsff I'd al
pounds from Holland. The price OF
first quality beef. live weight. whole.
sale. has gone up since August last
from an average of Is cents to IS
/ cents a pound, while the retail price
has increased from % to 26 cents a
pound. Pork, like weight. whole
sale, which cost in August 1-2 cents
a pound, now fetches Is 1-2 cents a
pound, while the retail butchers price
has risen in the same time from an
average of about 10 cents to about 2S
cents a pound
Potatoes form one of the products
of which Holland always possesses a
surplus, and the question of their
profitable export is an important con-
sideration. A large part of the culti-
waited land in Holland is planted with
them. the total extent being about
100000 acres, most of it in the four
northern provinces. The quantity of
the crop produced annually is about
100000 tons. valued at about $2S,-
100000. About 100000 tons of this
quantity is ground into potato -four
for which since the war began there
has been an enormous demand ffurn
Germany. There was also a greater
demand for potatoes in Holland t.
self owing TO the presence of so man,
Belgian refugees and also 10 the US,
of potatoes for cattle feed instead o
oilcake, which had become high il
price.
At one time there was a danger o
a shortage of potatoes in this countr,
in consequence of the increased ex
ports, and the minister of agricultur,
. for a time prohibited their EXPORT al
precautionary measure in order {,
keep sufficient Of them in stock fol
emergencies. Several of the large
cities brought up stocks at the sam,
time, but the municipalities are nov
finding they made a mistake for III,
potatoes are still on their hands, anC
! some of them are rotting. The EXPORT,
In the first seven months of the wal
; reached a total OF 10000 tons. Of
8 only $4,000 tons less than in tn,
entire year of 1913. while the expor
or potato -four. amounted from No
vember. 1914 till March, 1915. to abou
$4,000 tons, or nearly $4,000 tons il
excess of the export in the sam,
J period of 1914. The high price,
paid by Germany made the local pric,
7. mount, and the government found Il
= self compelled to fix a maximum pric,
! for retail selling, as the workin.
I classes had begun to feel the pinch
S Cabbages and other green vege
tables have also become more ex
,, pensive since Germany has been call
2 ing for more and more imports o
e truck garden products. The trucl
S gardeners are naturally making goot
r profits and the Dutch consumers fine
e themselves compelled 10 pay nor,
r for their vegetables. The truck far
T. mers, however, are making strong op