NUT REPORT.

I.-Nut Production.

The nut trade is larger than might be expected The imports into the United Kingdom amount in value to £4,000,000. Nuts are grown in the tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate parts of the world. Almonds are cultivated in France, Italy, Spain, Sicily, Portugal, Morocco, Crete, Asiatic Turkey, Persia, the Canary Islands, and California. In the northern hemisphere they grow mainly between the latitudes 31° and 44° in warm dry climates. Barcelona and hazel nuts are grown chiefly in Spain, Italy, and Asiatic Turkey. Like almonds they thrive best between latitudes 31° and 44° and in a similar climate. Brazil nuts grow almost solely in the basin of the Amazon, shipments to the United Kingdom being made from Para and Manaos. Walnuts are grown in France, Spain, Italy, Roumania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Asiatic Turkey, Northern China, and Manchuria. area in which they do best lies between 40° and 48°

II.-Sources of United Kingdom Supplies.

The

2. The United Kingdom Trade Statistics divide the nuts imported into the United Kingdom for consumption raw, as fruit, into the following classes :

Almonds.

Barcelona and Hazel.
Brazil.

Walnuts.

Unenumerated.

In the final class," Unenumerated," are included coconuts. This is the only nut (as fruit) which any Overseas part of the Empire produces on a commercial scale. As, however, the figures given under Unenumerated Nuts" are not subdivided into varieties it is impossible to compare Empire and foreign supplies of coconuts. Ceylon and the West Indies both supply coconuts to the United Kingdom. In addition, therefore, to the almonds, barcelona and hazel, brazil, and walnuts mentioned above we include in our statistics figures regarding desiccated and flaked coconuts, but not separate figures for raw coconuts, which are not available.

3. Practically the whole of the almonds consumed in the United Kingdom in 1924 came from foreign countries, Spain being the largest supplier, sending nearly 62 per cent. of the total importation. The other countries of importance were Morocco and Italy.

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4. As in the case of almonds, the United Kingdom derives practically the whole of its supplies of barcelona and hazel nuts from foreign countries. The most important source of supply is Spain, which, in 1924, sent nearly half of the total quantity. The only other important sources were Turkey and Italy.

5. As the name indicates, practically all the brazil nuts consumed in the United Kingdom in 1924 were produced in Brazil. The Empire supplied an insignificant quantity and the amount obtained from other foreign countries was trifling.

6. As in the case of the nuts already mentioned, the United Kingdom receives almost the whole of its supplies of walnuts from foreign countries. Some small quantities are grown in the United Kingdom, but no statistics are available as to the amount. Of foreign suppliers in 1924 France was the largest, sending fourfifths of the total quantity imported.

7. As already stated no separate figures are available for coconuts imported into the United Kingdom. These are included in the United Kingdom Trade Statistics under the general heading "Unenumerated Nuts." Of these unenumerated nuts some twothirds were derived in 1924 from foreign countries, China being the most important source of supply. The Empire supplies, which amounted to slightly more than one-third of the total importation, came mainly from Ceylon and the West Indies.

8. In the case of desiccated and flaked coconuts, used largely by confectioners, practically the whole quantity consumed in the United Kingdom was derived in 1924 from Empire sources, and of these Ceylon provided nearly 99 per cent.

III.-Periods of Harvesting and Marketing.

9. The gathering periods for the various kinds of nuts dealt with above are as follows :

These nuts are on the market all the year round, the new crop arriving on the market shortly after the beginning of the gathering.

IV. United Kingdom Consumption and Trend of Supplies.

10. Owing to changes in the system of classification adopted in the United Kingdom Trade Statistics it is not possible to compare the average annual supplies of the different varieties of nuts mentioned above for the quinquennia ending 1904 and 1913 with those received in the years 1923 and 1924. Statistics for the total quantities imported are, however, available, and are given in the following table, which relates only to the main sources of supply. In 1925 the total importation amounted to 1,219,905 cwts. The consumption of nuts in the United Kingdom declined somewhat in the years before the War. Since the War, however, there has been a very substantial increase. During the period under review the United Kingdom has become increasingly dependent for its nuts upon foreign supplies. In the quinquennium ending 1904 foreign countries sent 74.5 per cent. of the total, whereas in 1924 they supplied nearly 86 per cent. This increase is largely due to the very considerable development which has taken place in the trade in Brazil nuts. The importation of nuts from France has declined, while that from Spain has remained relatively stationary. Supplies of coconuts from Ceylon have increased, but not in proportion to the increase in the total consumption, with the result that the percentage of nuts obtained from Ceylon has fallen from 15 per cent. to 12 per cent. Imports from the West Indies have dropped off considerably both in actual quantity and as a percentage of the total.