The Washington herald., 1921-03-25
|REAT BRITAIN'S
WHEAT IMPORTS
|pN PREWAR BASIS
lgium and Holland Are
Now Importing Half
of1913 Totals.
GERMANY TAKES 75%
poland and Czecho-Slovakia
Formerly Rich in Agricul-
ture, Now Import Flour.

import figures for wheat covering
approximately the first six months
of the ls2o-Is2i crop year show that
kthe United Kingdom is again on a
kpre war basis. that Germany is sur
Jprisingiy near 1t. but that Holland
and Belgium are nearly 50 per cent
shoft of their average prewar re-
l rquirements-
y Two countries. Poland and czecho-
slovakia. have imported small guam
titles of neur, whereas before the
war the territory that is now within
their boundaries included some OF
the richest agricultural land in Eu-
rope. Old Poland sowed nearly L.
BOO, 900 acres to- wheat and mar
vested a crop of some 2S,oOo,O0O
bushels. Yet in the last six months
the new Poland has been an I'M
porter of -four. Czecho-SloYakia.
Just to the south of Poland. includ-
ing Bohemia. Morsvia, Silesia and
the western end of Galicia. should
normally be an exporter instead Of
an importer.
I.p.r.. Reach ,os.S6o.soo Bushels.
The United Kingdom from August
i to Fehrtary IL, or only a little
more than six months, imported ap-
proximately 106.000.00o bushels Of
wheat. including -four. Before the
war the United Kingdom annually
imported. during the crop year be-
ginning on August 1, from 100000
IL 10
IL may be too early to say that the
United Kingdom has definitely re-
turned to prewar wheat consump-
tion, the first six months imports
seem to indicate this to be a fact.
Germany, from August 16 to Feb
ruary 5, according to an English au-
thority, imported 24,s00.000 bushels
of wheat, and flour equivalent to
$500. 000> bushels additional. On
February 5, 100000 bushels OF
wheat were on ocean passage to
Germany. The total of wheat i'm
ported into and afoat for Germany
during approximately the first six
months of the crop year was there
fore 33,IOO,000 ushels. At the same
rate of importation for the full year
the total would be 67,400.000 BUSH
els. which il IS per cent of Ger
.Inany's average annual prewar in-
norts-
this connection IL should be re-
mbered that Germany has de-
eased in territory-both consum-
g and producing. Before the war
rmany imported from 100000
100. 100000 bushels of wheat
kom August 1 to July 81.
Holland. according to the official
>ecords of that country, imported
~ August l to December IL, 1920,
be first five months of the PRES
crop year. approximately 9,0oo.-
/bushels Of wheat and -four COM
6ted as wheat. A small quantity
wheat and -four was exported.
efore the war Holland was a
svy importer and exporter. I'm
ITS of wheat and -four ranged
n s5,ooo.ooo to 105.0o0,o00 busn-
while exports averaged about
100000. Net imports therefore
eraged aout 400. 100000 bushels.
the average of the first four
onths of the season Is continued,
olland will have imported 21,000.-
Zoo bushels by July 81, or only a
little more than so per cent of the
Rrewar average.
Il the odIuc
sosition as Holland regarding i'm
arts of wheat. Net imports Tex
rts were very smalD in the first
be months of the crop year were
approximately 100000 bushels.
Rhis rate continued throughout the
ear would bring the imports up to
200, 900 bushels. The prewar i'm
|orts ranged from 45.000.000 to 65,-
Doc. 900 bushels. Taking 55,060,oOU
as the average, Belgium will import
81 per cent of the normal require
ment IL the average of the first i've
onths Is continued TO the close of
lie crop season
II now appears that India will
|dsappoint the importing countries.
1 is one thing to release" q GER
tain amount of grain, but quite an
other matter to export it, Some
months ago IL was announced that
he government would release ap-
fortunately 100000 bushels of
Wheat from the 1920 crop for ex-
port. Yet from April l, (the crop
year begins on that date) to Feb
ruary IL India exported only $780,
200 bushels of wheat. Because of
greatly reduced acreage for har-
hest next month and poor crop con-
kitions as a result of drought, 1t is
improbable that any more wheat
will be exported from the 1920 har-
vest.