Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-10-23
Cheese, Butter, ETC., In
Export Trade Of 1915

Washington, d. c., Oct. 20.-Cheese,
butter and other butter fats are again
becoming important factors in our ex-
port trade after O long period Of com
parative inactivity. Fifteen or 20
years ago the United States was selling
abroad between 20 million and 30 mil
lion pounds Of butter from so million
to so million pounds Of cheese, and
from five million to 10 million pounds
Of imitation butter annually. In later
years, however, exports Of this class de-
creased in marked degree and in the
fiscal year 1914 had fallen far below
the quantities named. In the year Just
ended there was q distinct revival in all
these lines, with totals closely approx
mating the high levels touched in the
decade from 1890 TO 1900.
The large gains made by domestic
dairy products and butter substitutes
are well illustrated by figures publish
ed by the bureau Of foreign and do
nestle commerce, department of com
merce, in the June "Summary of For.
eign Commerce. Butter, usually aver
aging about three and one.half million
pounds annually in our export trade, in
1915 went TO nearly 10 million pounds.
During this period imports Of butter
were reduced by more than one.half,
falling from a little less than eight mil
lion pounds in 1914 20 less than four
million pounds lastyenr.
American cheese, running at about
two and a half million pounds year,
went to 54 million younds in the fiscal
year 1915. Here also, as in the ease
Of butter, the trade balance was trans.
| ferred to the export side, for the year q
imports of cheese last year only totaled
so million pounds, a decrease of l3 3'4
million pounds from the total for 1914
Exports Of condensed milk, usually
exported In sums valued at between one
million and two million dollars annual
ly, in 1915 rose TO three million dol
lars in value, the quantity (37 million
pounds) being double vhat Of 1914.
Imitation butter contains in addition
to oleomargarine oil some butter fat
The exports Of this article also doubled
raising from three and o half millior
pounds in 1914 TO five and one-fourtf
million pounds last year.
England has become our largest for
eign market for butter, cheese, and con
densed milk, having taken three and Q
third million pounds Of butter, out Of Q
total export Of 10 million pounds
4s 1.2 million pounds Of cheese, out Of
a total export Of 54 million pounds; and
four million pounds Of condenshed milk
out Of n total export of 81 millior
pounds. Canada, Cuba, Panama, Aus
tralia and Venezuela also take consider
able quantities Of American butter
Panama and the West Indies are i'm
portant markets for our cheese; while
Cuba, Belgium. the Netherlands China
Japan, Hongkong, Russia, Chosen
Panama and Brazil take large amounts
Of American condensed milk.
These exports, while important, rep
resent q very small proportion Of the
annual products Of the 90 million cattle
on American farms valued az more
than two and third billion dollars. A
long ago as 1909, the latest period GOV
cred by the national census, we pro
auced 1919 million pounds Of butter
1921 million pounds Of cheese, and 5,sl4
million gallons Of milk, while the quan
tity Of oleomargerine on which intern
al revenue tax was paid In 1914 aggre
gated l42 million pounds.