RETAIL PRICES: The retail food price index on February 15 was 194.8 percent of the 1935-39 average, 2.5 percent lower than a year ago, but 34 percent above the June 1946 level. Between mid-January and mid-February average food prices Compared with mid-January, February 15 retail prices of meats and poultry were higher, but lower for all fishery products (see Table 2). declined 0.6 percent. Table 2 Retail Price Indexes for Foods and Fishery Products, February 15, 1950 Wholesale Prices of Marine Oils, 1949 Wholesale prices of all marine oils during 1949 were lower than in 1948, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the Department of Agriculture. Record wholesale prices were paid for all marine oils (except for Newfoundland cod oil) during 1947, and since that year prices have been declining. Prices for Newfoundland cod oil reached their record high in 1948. 2/Before June 1944, converted from price per barrel on the basis of 230.4 pounds per barrel. Beginning June 1944, converted from price per gallon on the basis of 7.58 pounds per gallon. 3/Less than carlots, December 1944-December 1948. Before July 1942, converted from price per gallon on the basis of 7.5 pounds per gallon. Quoted as natural before May 1943. 5/Average for less than 12 months. Type of Fish: Belgian fish catch in 1949 included 9,300 metric tons of cod, 3,763 tons of plaice, 4,500 tons of ray, 3,000 tons of haddock, 874 tons of turbot, 3,200 tons of sole, and 16,800 tons of herring. As compared with 1948, there was an increase in the catch of cod, ray, turbot, and sole; there was little change in the catch of haddock; but the herring and plaice production declined. Table 1 Belgian Production of Fishery Products, 1948-49 and 1936-38 Average PRINCIPAL SPECIES 1936-38 Average Valuat Cod Plaice Ray Haddock Turbot Sole Herring Francs (In Metric Tons) 4.516| 2,947 874 3,672 2,988 744 3,200 | 16,811 1,776 22,380 39,468 120,678,000 4,078,916 4,152 3,060 3,444 1,308 744 1/Values converted on the basis of: 1936-38, 1 Belgian franc equals 3.38 cents U.S.; 1948-49, 1 Belgian franc equals 2.3 cents U.S. 2,268 5,880 because of the low prices offered at the Ostend fish market. The amount of fish so diverted to fish meal is less than 1,000 tons annually (in 1947 the amount was 404 metric tons, and in 1948 the total was 961 tons). Table 4- Belgian Foreign Trade in Fishery Products. 1948-49 and 1938 Fish EXPORTS Salted & Year Fresh Smoked Canned (In Metric Tons, 1949 8,818 10,036 1948 13,116 11,220 1938 13,056,13,164 A MODERN BELGIAN FISH PLANT AT OSTEND. NOTE CONVEYOR SYSTEM ON THE LEFT. WEIGHING AND WRAPPING FILLETS IN THE FISH PLANT AT OSTEND. ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF LES FRIGORIFERES DU LITTORAL, S.A., BRUSSELS. Imports: During 1949 net imports totaled 40,686 metric tons, about 20 percent less than in 1948 or in 1938. Whereas previously Belgium had been on a net import basis for fresh fish (7,000 to 8,000 tons annually), in 1949 Belgium changed to a net export basis, the total net exports of fresh fish during 1949 totalling Table 5 Belgian Imports of Canned Fish by Type and Country of Origin, 1949 French France Morocco Norway Netherlands Others Total (In Metric Tons) 150 | 4,622 3 1,940 14 4,583 118 846 Sardines 2 3,263 78 1,129 285 11,991 |