XN000022-1979-11-27 — Page 7

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1979

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EXTERNAL TRADE FIGURES BY INDUSTRIAL ORIGIN FOR LAST QUARTER

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (TUESDAY) PUBLISHED EXTERNAL TRADE FIGURES ANALYSED BY INDUSTRIAL ORIGIN FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1979.

FOR DOMESTIC EXPORTS, THE FIVE INDUSTRY GROUPS HAVING THE HIGHEST CONTRIBUTIONS WERE WEARING APPAREL, TEXTILES, ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, PLASTIC PRODUCTS, AND PROFESSIONAL AND OPTICAL EQUIPMENT. ALTOGETHER, THEY ACCOUNTED FOR 81 PER CENT OF THE VALUE OF ALL DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1979.

LARGER INCREASES IN THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS OVER THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1978 INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRY GROUPS: MACHINERY (98%), TOBACCO (90%), TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT (77%) NON-METALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS (70%), LEATHER PRODUCTS (65%), AND PROFESSIONAL AND OPTICAL EQUIPMENT (65%). BUT A FIVE PER CENT DECREASE IN THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS WAS RECORDED FOR MINING AND QUARRYING PRODUCTS.

FOR IMPORTS, TEXTILES, ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, CHEMICAL PRODUCTS, METAL PRODUCTS, FOOD, PETROLEUM AND COAL PRODUCTS TOOK UP 57% OF THE VALUE OF ALL IMPORTS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1979. THE LARGER INCREASES IN THE VALUE OF IMPORTS WERE FOUND IN MINING AND QUARRYING PRODUCTS (212%), TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT (131%), FORESTRY AND LOGGING PRODUCTS (118%) PETROLEUM AND COAL PRODUCTS (100%), AND PLASTIC PRODUCTS (82%).

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID THE FIGURES WERE DERIVED BY RE-GROUPING ALL SIX-DIGIT COMMODITY ITEMS UNDER THE PRESENT EXTERNAL TRADE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, ACCORDING TO THE INDUSTRIES IN WHICH THESE COMMODITY ITEMS ARE NORMALLY PRODUCED.

DETAILS OF EXTERNAL TRADE FIGURES CLASSIFIED BY INDUSTRIAL ORIGIN MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TEL: 5-274203.

PURCHASE OF ITEMS IN SCHOOLS SHOULD BE VOLUNTARY

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SCHOOLS INVOLVED IN THE SALE OF ITEMS TO STUDENTS ARE REMINDED THAT NO PURCHASE SHOULD BE MADE COMPULSORY AND PARENTS BE INFORMED ACCORDINGLY TO AVOID ANY CAUSE FOR COMPLAINT,

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) ACCORDING TO THE CODE OF PRACTICE, AN ADEQUATE DESCRIPTION OF AN ITEM SHOULD BE GIVEN SO THAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS CAN PURCHASE SUCH AN ITEM ELSEWHERE IF THEY WISH TO DO SO.

IF ITEMS ARE FOR SALE IN PACKAGES, EACH ITEM SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE SEPARATELY WITH INDIVIDUAL PRICES CLEARLY SHOWN.

/SCHOOLS SHOULD