INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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The spinning section, with 882,200 spindles in operation, produced yarn counts ranging from 10's to 60's carded and combed, in single or multiple threads. Production of all counts in 1970 reached 323 million pounds, the greater part of which was consumed by local weavers. In the weaving section, 22,910 looms produced drills, shirtings, poplins, ginghams and canvas, to be bleached or dyed or printed in the finishing sector. Production of cotton piecegoods in 1970 was approximately 769 million square yards, some being exported as cloth but the bulk being used by local garment manufac-
turers.
The use of fibres other than cotton and new processes in the finish- ing and garment industries are of growing importance. Twenty-one textile mills are engaged in the production of polyester-cotton and polyester-viscose yarn for weaving into shirting and other fabrics for which there is a rapid growth in demand. Production in the woollen and worsted spinning sector is mostly consumed by the domestic knitting industry. The dyeing, printing and finishing sectors manufacture a wide range of multi-colour screen and roller prints, pre-shrunk and permanent-pressed fabrics and polymerized materials with drip-dry characteristics.
Garment manufacturing remains the largest sector of the textile industry, employing 95,980 workers in 1,802 factories. A great variety of garments, ranging through cotton singlets, permanent press slacks and shirts to high fashion dresses are manufactured for export all over the world. Knitting mills produce a wide range of items in cotton, wool and other fabrics. The export value of garments rose by 13 per cent to $4,337 million in 1970.
Other Light Industries
In the ever-widening range of light industry, the plastics industry remains second in prominence to textiles. It includes the manufac- ture of toys, dolls, flowers and household articles. Skill in the cutting of moulds and dies, together with the ability to meet short-notice orders, have contributed to the rise in exports, the value reaching $1,396 million in 1970, an increase of 15 per cent over that achieved in the previous year.
In recent years there has been spectacular growth and diversifica- tion in the electronics industry. This now includes the manufacture