XN000022-1976-03-23 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1976

INFORMATION ON QUOTA UTILISATION ******

THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT TODAY ISSUED INFORMATION ON THE UTILISATION OF QUOTA IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG'S TWO MAJOR TEXTILE MARKETS, THE UNITED STATES AND THE EEC.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IT WAS HOPED THAT PUBLICATION OF THIS INFORMATION MIGHT HELP TO DISPEL SOME OF THE DOUBTS AMONG PEOPLE IN THE TRADE AS TO THE AMOUNTS OF QUOTA STILL UNUSED IN QUOTA HOLDERS' HANDS. IT WAS INTENDED THAT DATA ON QUOTA UTILISATION IN RESPECT OF ALL RESTRAINT MARKETS WOULD IN FUTURE BE ISSUED ON A REGULAR BASIS. DETAILS OF HOW THIS

INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE QUOTA POSITION FOR THE UNITED STATES AND THE EEC AS AT THE END OF FEBRUARY.

USA

THE CURRENT 12-MONTH US TEXTILE RESTRAINT PERIOD BEGAN ON OCTOBER 1, 1975. IN THE FIVE MONTHS UP TO THE END OF FEBRUARY 1976, A TOTAL OF 310 MILLION EQUIVALENT SQ. YDS. REPRESENTING 35 PER CENT OF THE OVERALL QUOTA FOR THE US HAD BEEN USED. THE RATES OF UTILISATION OF THE MORE POPULAR CATEGORIES ARE SET OUT BELOW :-

CATEGORY NO.

41/42

DESCRIPTION

UTILISATION RATE

COTTON KNIT

T-SHIRTS

72%

22/23

COTTON TWILL AND

61%

SATEEN (INCLUDING

DRILLS, JEANS AND

DENIM)

43/62(2)

OTHER COTTON KNIT

61%

SHIRTS AND BLOUSES

50/51

COTTON WOVEN TROUSERS,

60%

SLACKS AND SHORTS

219

MAN-MADE FIBRE KNIT

51%

SHIRTS (OTHER THAN T-SHIRTS) AND BLOUSES

/EEC

E