XN000022-1977-04-25 — Page 7

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1977

TEXTILE QUCTA UTILISATION POSITION

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THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT TODAY PUBLISHED THE END-OF-MARCH 1977 FIGURES ON THE UTILISATION OF QUOTA IN RESPECT

MARKETS TO WHICH HONG KONG'S TEXTILES EXPORTS ARE RESTRAINED.

COMMENTING ON THE FIGURES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT SAID THAT FREE QUOTAS FOR CERTAIN CATEGORIES AND MARKETS WERE STILL AVAILABLE ON APPLICATION AND INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF CUTLINE OF THE QUOTA POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES AND EEC, HONG KONG'S TWO MAJOR TEXTILE MARKETS.

USA

IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE TEXTILE RESTRAINT PERIOD WHICH BEGAN ON OCTOBER 1, 1976, QUOTAS USED AMOUNTED TO 343 MILLION EQUIVALENT SQ. YDS. OR SLIGHTLY OVER 36 PER CENT OF THE OVERALL PESTRAINT LIMIT. FIGURES SHOWING THE QUANTITIES LICENSED FOR EXPORT AND PERCENTAGE UTILISATION ON A GROUP BASIS ARE SET OUT ZELOW :

DESCRIPTION

QUANTITY LICENSED (IN MILLION EQUIVALENT

PERCENTAGE UTILISATION AGAINST GROUP LIMITS

GROUP

SQ. YDS.)

YARNS AND FABRICS OF COTTON AND MAN-MADE FIBRES

74.76

29.32

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APPAREL OF COTTON AND

AN-MADE FIBRES

239.31

43.93

MADE-UPS AND MISCELLANEOUS

ARTICLES OF COTTON AND

MAN-KADE FIERES

IV

WOOL TEXTILES AND APPAREL

19.25

9.38

33.09

22.30

OF THE CATEGORIES SUBJECT TO SPECIFIC LIMITS IN THE HONG KONG/ US TEXTILE AGREEMENT, THE PATE OF UTILISATION IN SEVEN OUT OF 21 CATEGORIES COULD BE DESCRIBED AS RELATIVELY HIGH. THESE SEVEN CATEGORIES ARE CATEGORY 22/23 (TWILL AND SATEEN (INCLUDING JEANS, DRILL AND DENIM), CARDED AND COMEED),

CARDED AND COMEED), CATEGORY 41/42/43/62(2) (OCTTO ANIT T-SHIRTS, OTHER KNIT SHIRTS AND ELCUSES, EXCEPT

YEAT-SHIRTS), CATEGORY 48 (COTTON RAINCOATS, 3/4 LENGTH OR LONGER, ST MIT), CATEGORY 50/51 (COTTON TROUSERS, SLACKS AND SHORTS, CT KNIT), CATEGORY 54/63(1) (COTTON PLAYSUITS, SUNSUITS, WASHSUITS, CREEPERS, ROMPERS, ETC. AND ENTIRETIES, NCT KNIT) CATEGORY 229 (MMF CCATS, NCT KNIT) AND CATEGORY 237 (IVF SUITS,

TIT).

/EEC