No reliable figure is available of the total value of products manufactured in Hong Kong, but it is estimated to Certi- be in the region of HK$250-$300 million per year. ficates of origin were issued in 1949 for goods valued at HK$87 million.
Cotton Spinning
Some Industries
This represents the largest and most modern postwar development in Hong Kong industry. The number of spindles in operation increased during the year from 90,000 to 131,940, and planned expansion in 1950 will bring it to 183,193; total production in 1949 was 59,365 bales of 400 lbs. The fortunes of the industry varied considerably during the year, the conjunction of devaluation which increased raw cotton prices and the release of large quantities of low quality yarn for export from India had a depressing effect in the last quarter of the year.
Weaving and Knitting
Many of the smaller mills closed down during the first half of the year, but there was an improvement later, result- ing partly from orders from the United Kingdom for grey cloth probably for processing there and re-export to Colonial markets.
Enamelled Hollow-ware
There are now ten factories operating 52 muffle furnaces with an output valued at HK$30 million. They enjoy one of the widest markets and appear to have taken over temporarily part of the pre-war markets enjoyed by Germany and Japan.
Rubber Shoes
This industry has not been able to recapture to any extent its main pre-war market in the United Kingdom because of high costs, but after a poor start, recovered fairly well later in the year, the majority of orders coming from Far Eastern markets.
Ginger
The import quota into the industry's main pre-war market, the United Kingdom, was raised from its 1948/49 level of 3,000 tons to 4,000 tons for the 1949/50 season; later quantitative restrictions were removed but, for lack of raw ginger, it is unlikely that much more than 4,000 tons will in fact be shipped. Progress was made in developing
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