molasses and manganese. France. Imports from France and its colonies amounted to 79 million dollars in 1939. Imports of concession items were valued at 71 million dollars of which 42.7 million dollars were dutiable imports and 28.3 million dollars were free imports. Duty reductions of 36 to 50 percent were made on imports valued at 18.4 million dollars; reductions of 25 to 35 percent on imports valued at 13.4 million dollars, and reductions of less than 25 percent on imports valued at 5.3 million dollars. Existing duties were bound on imports valued at 5.5 million dollars. Among the principal dutiable imports from France on which concessions were made were still and sparkling wines, brandy, leather gloves, perfumes and laces. Crude rubber, coney and rabbit furs were the principal items from France and colonies which were bound on the free list. Australia Other countries. Chile. Imports of sodium nitrate, which was bound free of duty, accounted for a large part of the 1939 imports from Chile. The concession on copper, of which Chile is a principal supplier, is also of major interest to that country. China. Concessions of principal interest to China include those on tungsten, antimony, handkerchiefs, embroideries, some vegetable oils, hat braids and bristles. Czechoslovakia. Glassware, chinaware, jewelry, imitation precious stones, and footwear on which concessions were made are important among imports from Czechoslovakia. Ceylon. Crude rubber and tea, both bound on the free list, accounted for the bulk of the imports from Ceylon. India and Pakistan. Burlap on which a 50 percent reduction in duty was made is by far the largest single item in imports from India and Pakistan. Mica on which the duty was reduced and jute which was bound on the free list were also important in imports from those countries. New Zealand. The principal items in 1939 imports from New Zealand on which the United States made concessions were sheep and lamb skins, carpet wool, sausage casings, wool and coney and rabbit skins. Norway. Sardines in oil and wood pulp were the principal imports from Norway in 1939 on which concessions have been made. South Africa - Diamonds, other than cut diamonds, and Persian lamb furs undressed accounted for the bulk of the imports from the Union of South Africa in 1939. Both items were bound on the free list. Syro-Lebanese Customs Union Carpet wool, the duty free status of which was bound, was the largest single item of imports in 1939 from Syria and Lebanon. Latakia type tobacco on which a concession was made is also an important import from the area. In connection with the statistics given in the two preceding tables showing the imports affected by concessions in duties (reductions and bindings), it should be noted that the present agreement provides for the following: Cattle weighing less than 200 pounds each The present tariff quota of 100,000 head per year is increased to 200,000 head per year. (A tariff quota is one that limits the quantity of the product that can be imported in a specified period at a reduced rate of duty; imports in excess of such a tariff quota are not limited but are subject to a higher rate of duty.) Cattle weighing 700 pounds or more each (other than dairy cows) The present tariff quota of 60,000 head per quarter calendar year Seed potatoes, white or Irish The present quota of 1 million bushels per year is increased to 22 million bushels per year. Potatoes, table stock, white or Irish The present tariff quota of 1 million bushels per year is continued Milk and cream The present tariff quotas on milk of 3 million gallons per year, and on cream of 1.5 million gallons per year, are retained Fresh or frozen fish fillets The present tariff quota on fresh or frozen fillets, etc., of cod, haddock, hake, pollock, cusk, and rosefish of the greater of 15 million pounds per year or 15 percent of the average annual domestic consumption in the three preceding years, is continued Shelled walnuts Butter A tariff quota of 5 million pounds per year is established on these products A tariff quota of 50 million pounds on imports entered during the period November 1 of any year to March 31 of the following year is established on this product. Woolens and worsteds The United States reserves the right to increase the duty if imports exceed 5 percent (by weight) of the average annual production in the United States during the three immediately preceding calendar years Rubber products The United States reserves the right to withdraw its concessions on rubber and certain manufactures wholly or in part of rubber if such action becomes necessary to safeguard the synthetic rubber program of the United States. 767084 047 - 10 Animals and Animal Products. Edible The following commodities in this group are the principal ones on which concessions were made by the United States: Live cattle (other than for breeding), beef and veal fresh, chilled, and frozen, fresh and frozen fillets of fish, sardines packed in oil, butter, condensed and evaporated milk, dried milk and cream, including dried skimmed milk and buttermilk, cheddar cheese, frozen and dried egg products, and edible gelatin valued at less than 40 cents per pound. Live cattle (other than for breeding) - Par. 701 (Tariff Act of 1930). Live cattle fall into four classes for duty purposes, i.e,, calves, weighing less than 200 pounds per head, "light" cattle weighing 200 pounds but less than 700 pounds each, dairy cows weighing 700 pounds or more per head, and "other" cattle weighing 700 pounds or more each. Prior to the present trade agreements the rates on all four classes were 1-1/2 cents per pound. In addition there was a calendar-year quota of 100,000 head for calves, and of 225,000 head, but not more than 60,000 per quarter-year, for "other" cattle weighing 700 pounds or more each. In 1943 all quotas were removed during the emergency. At that time a calendar-year quota of 400,000 head, but not more than 110,000 head per quarter-year, was provided for "light" cattle to go into effect after the national emergency is ended. time the other quotas are also to be restored. At that In the new trade agreement the tariff rates of 1-1/2 cents per pound on calves and "other" cattle (700 pounds or more each) were bound. The quota on calves was increased to 200,000 head per year, and on "other" cattle (700 pounds or more each) it was increased to 400,000 head per year, but not more than 120,000 head per quarter-year. The rates of duty on entries of these cattle in excess of the quotas (when re-imposed) was bound at 2-1/2 cents. United States slaughter of the four classes of live cattle mentioned above averaged nearly 24,375,000 head per year in 1937-39, about 39 percent consisting of calves. In 1946 the total was 32,092,000 head, with about 38 percent consisting of calves. In 1937-39 total imports of dutiable cattle averaged 558,000 head per year, of which 42 percent in number and 54 percent in liveweight came from Canada. Wartime imports of live cattle declined irregularly, with Mexico the principal supplier after 1942. In 1946 imports totalled nearly 516,000 head, of which Mexico supplied 85 percent in number and 75 percent in liveweight. Aside from a limited movement of breeding stock in 1945 and 1946, largely to European countries, United States exports of live cattle have been insignificant for many years. Beef and veal, fresh chilled, and frozen Par. 701 (Tariff Act of 1930). The rate of duty on this product was reduced from 6 cents per pound to 3 cents per pound in the recent trade agreement. Production from total slaughter in this country increased from an average of 7,937 million pounds in 1937-39 to 11,940 million in 1945. It was 10,818 million pounds in 1946. Imports of dressed beef have been unimportant for many years, largely because of the sanitary embargo against entries from South America, by far the principal exporting region. In 1937-39 the entries averaged about 3 million pounds per year; slightly more than 3 million pounds were imported in 1946. As long as the sanitary embargo remains in effect imports into the United States are likely to remain comparatively small. United States exports of dressed beef and veal have been insignificant for many years. Fresh and frozen fillets of fish Par. 717(b) (Tariff Act of 1930). In the new trade agreement the duties on imports of fillets of groundfish (cod, haddock, hake, pollock, cusk, and rosefish) were bound at 1-7/8 cents per pound on imports supplying 15 percent of United States consumption, and 2-1/2 cents per pound on imports in excess of this quota. Because of the comparatively new development in marketing fresh and frozen fish, consumption of fillets of groundfish increased from 58 million pounds in 1931 to 181 million pounds in 1946. Domestic production increased from 56 million to 132 million pounds and imports increased from 2 million to 49 million pounds. Canada supplied 80 percent of the total imports in 1946, with Newfoundland and Iceland furnishing most of the remainder. The duty on fillets other than groundfish was reduced from 2-1/2 cents per pound to 1-1/2 cents per pound in the new trade agreement. The consumption of other fillets increased from 18 million pounds in 1931 to 96 million pounds in 1946, with domestic production increasing from 17 million to 84 million pounds and imports from 1 million to 12 million pounds. In 1946 Canada supplied 76 percent of the total imports, Peru 20 percent, and 8 other countries the remainder. Sardines packed in oil. Par. 718(a) (Tariff Act of 1930). The duties on imports of sardines packed in oil were 44 percent if of a value not exceeding 9 cents per pound and 30 percent if of a value exceeding 9 cents per pound. The duties on skinned or boned sardines packed in oil are not affected by the new agreement. The duties on sardines packed in oil, neither skinned nor boned, were bound at 44 percent when valued at not more than 9 cents per pound, were increased from 30 to 44 percent when valued at more than 9 cents but not more than 13 cents per pound, bound at 30 percent when valued at more than 13 but not more than 18 cents per pound, reduced from 30 percent to 20 percent when valued at more than 18 but not more than 23 cents per pound, and from 30 percent to 15 percent when valued at more than 23 cents per pound. Before the war the annual domestic consumption of sardines packed in oil averaged about 57 million pounds, of which slightly more than half was supplied by imports. Norway supplied 76 percent of the total imports, Portugal 17 percent, and other countries 7 percent. The bulk of the imports from Portugal and relatively small quantities from other sources consisted of sardines which had been skinned or boned or both. Almost all of the imports from Norway, however, and the bulk of the imports from other countries, were neither skinned nor boned. During the war imports of sardines packed in oil dropped to insignificant quantities. They have increased steadily since 1944, however, but have not yet attained their prewar volume. In 1946 total imports were 20 million pounds, of which 52 percent came from Norway, 32 percent from Portugal, and nearly all of the remaining 16 percent from Venezuela, Spain, and Canada. Domestic production in 1946 was about 56 million pounds. Exports are not separately reported. |