factor in both product acceptance and in the increase of U.S. poultry imports by West Germany from 4.4 million pounds in calendar 1956 to 5.6 million pounds in 1957. Similar activities in the Netherlands will be initiated soon. (c) Fats and oils.-Development activities have been undertaken to date in Italy, Japan, and Spain. In Italy these activities are directed primarily to the development of new outlets for feedstuffs through promotion of mixed feeds, improved feeding practices, and expanded livestock and poultry industries. The Spanish project is devoted primarily to improving qualities of vegetable oils for consumers and also improved feeding for poultry and livestock through educational work in the field of nutrition. The Japanese project consists mainly of consumer promotional activities of an educational nature designed to acquaint Japanese consumers with the benefits of soybean products in the human diet. In all instances, activities include the exchange of technical information and furnishing of technical assistance; product demonstrations with trade and similar groups: preparation, translation, and distribution of promotional material; and personnel exchanges. They are contributing to an improved standard of living in the countries involved and to an expansion in markets for our agricultural production. (d) Fruit.-Surveys and promotional activities have been carried out in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, West Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, and Mexico. A brochure illustrating the wide range of U.S. fruits available and how to procure them, printed in four languages, was distributed to importers and government officials throughout the world. An intensive promotional campaign for fresh and processed grapefruit is now getting underway in West Germany. It is hoped that this and other projects will contribute toward developing a market for U.S. fresh and processed grapefruit in this market. (e) Grain, grain products, and seed.-Promotional activities to date have been undertaken for grain, grain products, and seed in 23 countries. The following new countries were added in 1958: Argentina, Austria, Chile, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, the Philippines, Portugal, and Spain. Promotional activities have assisted in maintaining U.S. exports of wheat and wheat products, feed grains, rice, and seed. For example, wheat promotion in Japan designed to improve nutrition has resulted in increased bread consumption of more than 15 percent. Under this project three hundred 2-day training courses have been carried out, over 10,000 Japanese bakers have received training, and demonstrations on preparation of balanced meals have attracted over 500,000 homemakers. For feed grains, trade teams have been sent to Europe to work with local trade groups and importers. Of total world trade in feed grains of approximately 16 million tons annually, Europe represents about three-fourths of this market. Two projects have been undertaken to develop markets for U.S. rice. Under one project, rice samples are being collected and under the other project, rice trade information. Both projects are on a global basis and the results are expected to assist in improving the competitive position of the United States in world trade. Rice samples are being analyzed and classified by USDA in Beltsville. For seed, trade teams have been dispatched both to the Far East and to Europe to establish better contact with seed importers and the government agencies concerned and to develop plans for future promotional activities. (f) Livestock and meat products.-Promotional efforts have been undertaken in 12 countries, including Finland which was added in 1958. Projects have been aimed at increasing U.S. exports of both breeding stock and livestock and livestock products. For breeding stock, primary emphasis has been given to supplying livestock specialists to judge shows and to explain U.S. breed characteristics and their advantages. Such projects have been very well received and have assisted in maintaining U.S. exports of approximately 5.000 head of hogs, 25.000 head of sheep, and 36,000 head of beef cattle annually, principally to Latin America. In addition, U.S. trade associations have worked with foreign groups to maintain U.S. exports of hides and skins, lard, and tallow. (9) Tobacco.-Promotional projects to increase the consumption of U.S. tobacco have been entered into in 10 countries. While additional funds were provided for certain projects in the past year, no new countries were added during 1958. Promotional activities for tobacco have been designed to increase the consump tion of quality cigarettes containing U.S. leaf through the use of advertising; sample distribution; the preparation and distribution of promotional literature; personnel exchanges; and technical cooperation on the handling, storage, and blending of U.S. leaf. In France, consumption of U.S. tobacco has increased in spite of severe exchange problems and trade restrictions. In Japan, promotional efforts were instrumental in increasing the consumption of U.S. leaf from 7 million pounds of U.S. tobacco in 1956 to 9.1 million pounds in 1957. Promotional efforts in Thailand have been an important factor in the increase in the consump tion of U.S. tobacco imports from 8.8 million pounds in 1956 to 9.4 million pounds in 1957. 6. Projects planned for 1959 Market development work in many of the projects listed above will be continued into 1959. In addition, a number of new projects are planned as follows: (a) Cotton.-New cotton projects are planned in Australia, Chile, Colombia, Finland, India, Canada, and Sweden. The projects will involve coordinated programs of market research, sales promotion, and general publicity. (b) Dairy and poultry.-New projects are planned in Brazil, Colombia, India, Iran, Israel, Belgium, and Sweden. Commodities to be covered include dairy products, dairy cattle, and poultry. (c) Fats and oils.-Additional projects apart from extensions of old projects are planned for Austria, Germany, Israel, Greece, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Chile. A survey to determine market development opportunities will be made in southeast Asia. Commodities concerned are primarily soybeans and soybean products. (d) Fruit.-New work is planned primarily for the European markets, although a brochure describing U.S. fruit juices will be distributed to world markets. New projects include promotion activities and market studies, as well as analyses of the quality and condition on arrival in European markets of fresh fruits from the United States and competing countries. (e) Grain, grain products, and seed.-Additional work is planned in Austria, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, India, Italy, Pakistan, West Germany, the Netherlands, and Venezuela. Activities will include the promotion of wheat and wheat products, feed grains, rice, and seed. Increased emphasis will be placed on feed grain and seed promotion. (f) Livestock and meat products.-New projects are planned for Argentina, Chile, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Venezuela. Products to be included are breeding stock, meats and variety meats, tallow, hides and skins, and lard. (g) Tobacco.-Additional projects are planned for Austria, India, Indonesia, Spain, Malaya, and the Netherlands. Promotional activities will emphasize the exchange of visitors to improve processing abroad for U.S. leaf through better storage, handling, and processing know-how. 7. Contributions to market development projects Table V shows the amounts contributed to market development projects by the Foreign Agricultural Service, the United States cooperators, and foreign cooperators (chart 13). TABLE V.-FAS obligations by commodities and miscellaneous projects and contributions by cooperators from the beginning of the market development program through June 30, 1958 8. Market-promotion exhibits at international trade fairs FAS sponsored seven major agricultural market-promotion exhibits overseas, all of them designed to acquaint potential customers abroad with the availability, quality, and uses of U.S. agricultural commodities. The exhibits were held largely in connection with important international trade fairs where the exhibits met with great concentrations of buyers and sellers from many parts of the world. A major attraction in a number of the exhibits was the distribution of samples of U.S. products derived chiefly from surplus stocks of commodities held by the Commodity Credit Corporation. All of the exhibits were held in cooperation with various U.S. trade associations, with the associations providing exhibit material and technical personel as contributions to this cooperative effort. The Government organizes and manages the exhibits; rents the space; provides for the design, construction and operation of the exhibits; ships necessary exhibit material; and provides travel and per diem for industrial technicians and commodity specialists participating in the joint effort. A number of the exhibits were operated under an agreement between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce through which both Departments exhibit their respective products. The joint payment of the total costs of the fairs by Commerce in dollars and Agriculture in foreign currencies makes it possible to participate in more fairs throughout the world. The following are fairs in which the Department participated during fiscal year 1958: (a) Twenty-sixth International Fair, Izmir, Turkey, August 20-September 20, 1957. This exhibit demonstrated the availability, quality and uses of U.S. nonfat dry milk solids and anhydrous butterfat. Free samples of recombined milk and ice cream made from U.S. ingredients were distributed to fair visitors and special guests. Attendance 951,000. (b) Twenty-second International Trade Fair, Salonika Greece, September 1-22, 1957.-Demonstrations of advance U.S. poultry feeds and feeding methods were held as a means of stimulating the Greek poultry industry and expanding the Greek market for U.S. feed supplies. Attendance 678,089. (c) International Trade Fair, Zagreb, Yugoslavia, September 7-22, 1957.— This exhibit, staged in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, consisted of a full-scale supermarket showing U.S.-processed food products. Attendance 1,040,000. (d) ANUGA Food Fair, Cologne, Germany, September 28-October 6, 1957.— A major exhibit of the year was held in Cologne, site of Europe's largest international food fair. Here a demountable pavilion previously used in Barcelona was set up as a showcase for U.S. agriculture products. Commodities displayed were citrus, deciduous, canned, and dried fruits; frozen poultry and poultry products; honey; fresh frozen and fresh prepared foods; lard and meat products; wheat and wheat products; tobacco, and soybeans and soybean products. The exhibit was an effective meeting place for German and American businessmen and informal luncheons and conferences were held to promote trade relations. Attendance 325,000. (e) Japan International Trade Fair, Osaka, Japan, April 12–27, 1958.—The Department participated in the Japan International Trade Fair for the third consecutive year. A 15,000 square foot pavilion housed exhibits of cotton, soybeans, tallow, wheat, and tobacco. As in previous years, the project was undertaken in cooperation with Japanese trade groups working with their American counterpart representatives and the Foreign Agricultural Service. Attendance 608,000. (f) Twenty-seventh International Trade Fair, Poznan, Poland, June 8-22, 1958. The exhibit demonstrated the superior performance and quality of American cotton for use in textile manufacture. The exhibit showed advanced techniques and methods of cotton textile processing, utilizing American cotton. Attendance 600,000. (g) National Poultry Meat Fair, Varese, Italy, June 14-16, 1958-Purpose of this exhibit was to develop an expanded market in Italy and other European countries for U.S. feed concentrates, of which soybean meal is the principal ingredient, and feed grains. It demonstrated to poultry raisers of the area how more meat and more eggs can be obtained in less time and at less cost through the use of balanced feeds available for export from the United States. ance 30,000. 9. Fairs scheduled for fiscal year 1959 Fairs scheduled for 1959 include the following: Country Izmir, Turkey... Zagreb, Yugoslavia.. Vienna, Austria. Bari, Italy.... New Dehli, India... Cagliari, Italy (Sardinia)... Bologna, Italy. Madrid, Spain. Barcelona, Spain.. Lausanne, Switzerland. Trieste, Italy Type of exhibit Demonstration of U.S. feed supplies in poul- Fruits and vegetables, grain and grain prod- Dates Attend Aug. 20-Sept. 20, 1958. Sept. 6-20, 1958. Fresh, dried, canned, and frozen fruits, Sept. 7-14, 1958. Demonstration of U.S. feed supplies in poul- Canned, fresh, dried, and frozen fruits and Demonstration of U.S. feed supplies-pri- A complete supermarket demonstration. Sept. 7-25, 1958. Sept. 25-Oct. 5, 1958. Dec. 10, 1958-Jan. 10, 1959. Mar. 15-29, 1959. May 8-22, 1959. May 23-June 23, 1959. June 1-20, 1959. June 7-21, 1959. June 13-28, 1959. June 21-July 5, 1959. |