A8
CHINA
1933.
1934.
1935.
!
St. $
St. $
St. $
Cereals and Flour:
Rice and Paddy
Wheat
150,107,416
65,684,678
89,562,586
87,871,028
31,869,171
34,887,254
Flour
""
27,755,408
7,075,112
6,006,607
Other Cereals and Flour,
9,291,944
7,114,176 5,460,871
275,025,796
111,743,137
135,917,318-
Candles, Soap, Oils, Fats, Waxes, Gums, and Resins:
Gasolene, Naphtha, and Benzine,
Mineral
...
...
...
21,331,890
19,311,745
19,586,624
Liquid Fuel
...
...
18,932,876
21,267,819
19,534,061
Kerosene Oil
...
87,450,738
39,750,042
37,606,901
Candles, Soap, Oils (Others), Fats,
Waxes, Gums, and Resins
39,773,003
28,887,382 24,969,115
167,488,507
109,216,988 101,696,701
Cotton, and Manufactures thereof: →
Cotton Piece Goods
58,243,433
26,781,690
20,604,803
Raw Cotton ...
98,160,982
90,246,597
40,913,429
Cotton Yarn
3,918,599
2,938,966
2,218,746
Thread
2,679,496
2,490,017
2,014,997
Waste, Yarn Waste, and
Wadding
...
47,418
195,103
36,605
Sundry Cotton Manufactures
6,356,691
3,350,391
2,891,046
1
169,406,619
126,002,764
68,679,626
.
·
The striking feature illustrated by these statistics is the appearance at the head of the list of the cereals and flour group, but this prominence is less due to any abnormal increase than to the general decline in value under all! other. import headings. Owing to drought and floods, there was an increase in the import of rice and paddy of some $24 million, but there was no great difference from the previous year's figures under the other headings, though all represent considerable decreases as compared with the year 1933. China's dependence on foreign foodstuffs of this nature will, no doubt, eventually be. overcome with resultant beneficial effect on the present adverse balance of trade. The next group in order of importance candles, soap, oils, fats, waxes, gums and resins-though now holding second place, has declined in value by almost $7.5 million from the previous year's figure, decreases in the value of liquid fuel and kerosene oil accounting for $3.9 million and candles, soap, etc., for $3.9 million, with a slight increase under gasolene etc. Metals and ores appear third on the list with a value of $87 million, and cotton and manufactures thereof, which have so long held pride of place in China's imports, come fifth with a value of $68.7 million only, cotton piece goods (excluding raw cotton) having fallen to their present low level of $27.7 million from $233.4 million in 1930 owing to competition from domestic cotton goods and other contributory causes. Imports of raw cotton have also declined by nearly $50 million as compared with the previous year, due to financial difficulties of local cotton mills and the employment of native cotton, in increasing quantities. Imports of cotton yarn and thread have also declined by over $1 million in value.
Of the total decline of $111 million in the total value of the import trade, the cotton group accounts for $57.5 million, while decreases are recorded under almost every other heading with the exception of cereals.