74
INDUSTRY AND TRADE
and cargo tonnages by all means of transport increased to 8.2 million tons, compared with 7.6 million tons in 1959.
Some tables in Appendix IV illustrate the main features of this trade in the last two years, and give a detailed breakdown of trade by country and by commodity.
The 'commodity pattern' of trade reflects the stage of economic development which the Colony has now reached. In spite of having no raw materials and a very restricted land area, of a decline in the traditional entrepôt trade and in the exchange of China produce for manufactures and chemicals from the west, and of an overwhelming increase in population, Hong Kong has used its labour, capital, indigenous skills and energy, and emerged as an industrial country dependent for its living on the sale of its domestic products in the markets of the world.
The main export industries-clothing, piecegoods, yarns, arti- ficial flowers, plastic toys and dolls, enamelled hollow-ware, foot- wear, metal scrap, electric torches, furniture-require imported materials, and thus raw materials and semi-fabricated manufactures for these industries represented over half of all imports by value.
Primary production is far from insignificant but it is still too little to feed the growing population, and the great bulk of the Colony's food has to be imported. The chief items of edible imports are rice, fruits and vegetables, swine, milk, cheese, and eggs, and fish and fish preparations, and in 1960 imported food represented 23% of all imports by value.,
Other imports were consumer goods such as medicinal and pharmaceutical products, watches, radios, gramophones, tape re- corders, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages, and capital goods such as machinery and transport equipment, and fuel oils.
The sources of imports are variously determined by proximity, prices, speed of delivery and by traditional trade channels.
20% by value of all imports came from China, and 39% of all the Colony's food imports. Other imports from China included white unbleached piecegoods, plants and seeds for medicine and perfumery, cement and joss paper. Japan followed with 16% by value of all imports and sent mainly textiles, to the extent of 38% of all imports of textile yarns, fabrics and made-up articles.