Here is a table of imports for the years 1906-1908, and for the first six months of 1909, classed according to their origin and in order of importance:
| Country of Origin. | 1906. | 1907. | 1908. | 1909. (Six months.) |
| Great Britain | £18,965,987 | £19,587,148 | £18,674,279 | £9,416,405 |
| Germany | 7,683,252 | 9,162,234 | 7,569,417 | 4,305,742 |
| United States | 7,894,979 | 7,768,455 | 7,119,401 | 3,704,917 |
| France | 5,348,975 | 5,093,605 | 5,295,385 | 2,998,346 |
| Italy | 4,824,727 | 4,800,648 | 4,982,649 | 2,706,014 |
| Belgium | 2,425,608 | 3,179,370 | 2,550,674 | 1,309,920 |
| Brazil | 1,328,205 | 1,569,871 | 1,457,189 | 751,923 |
| Spain | 1,473,654 | 1,458,894 | 1,723,622 | 859,013 |
| Uruguay | 366,648 | 494,551 | 441,407 | 269,740 |
| Holland | 302,349 | 352,401 | 407,606 | 212,714 |
| Paraguay | 261,794 | 282,867 | 301,991 | 185,114 |
| Cuba | 135,916 | 115,396 | 136,137 | 59,607 |
| Chili | 105,643 | 110,965 | 145,398 | 39,756 |
| Bolivia | 26,822 | 25,375 | 31,212 | 13,443 |
| Other Countries | 2,829,544 | 3,170,354 | 3,758,181 | 1,414,952 |
| ————— | ————— | ————— | ————— | |
| Totals | £53,994,104 | £57,172,136 | £54,594,547 | £28,276,906 |
| ======== | ======== | ======== | ======== |
Great Britain is always at the head of the list of imports, the total of her products imported by the Argentine in 1908 being £18,674,279. Among these products one of the greatest importance is coal, of which 2,338,949 tons were imported in 1907, representing a value of £3,274,528. Woven fabrics of all kinds attained a value of £3,038,694; railroad material £2,703,945, and sacking for making up into sacks, £296,585.
Germany now occupies the second place. The imports from Germany, worth £7,569,417 in 1908, are of all kinds, and include almost every kind of product consumed by the Argentine. On account of her various industries, metallurgical products holds the first place; then come woven fabrics and paper.
The United States send principally agricultural material, petroleum, and pine timber; the imports for 1908 were £7,119,400 in value; or nearly twice the value of the Argentine exports to the States. This situation is explained by the fact that both countries export the same products—cereals and cattle, etc.
France comes fourth, with £5,295,385 worth of produce in 1908. Her products, like those of Germany, are very numerous in kind. The largest imports are of woven fabrics, wines and spirits, metallurgical products, pharmaceutical specialities, and perfumery. Taking the item of wines and spirits alone, the Argentine imports £228,000 worth of bitters and vermouth and £202,560 worth of wines in the wood.
Italy sent £4,982,649 worth of imports in 1908. From Italy the Argentine imports the largest quantity of wines and of bitters, valued at £922,938; olive oil accounts for £394,133, rice for £295,667, cheese for £181,949 (the weight of this import in 1907 being 2,274 tons); in short, all the articles most in demand among the Italian emigrants. Woven fabrics attained a value of £927,857.
Far below the countries already named, with an amount of produce less than half that imported by France, comes Belgium (£2,550,674 in 1908); then Brazil (£1,457,189), and Spain (£1,723,622). Belgium sends principally metallurgical products; Spain her wines and oils and salt. Brazil sends only
a dozen or so of products; the most important being coffee, tobacco, and especially the yerba maté; a herb analogous to tea, and used as a beverage in the country districts. Brazil and Paraguay, which supply it to the Argentine, sent £1,046,183 worth of the herb in 1908.