XN000022-1980-03-17 — Page 3

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MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1980

THE OVERSEAS DEMAND FOR LOCALLY PRODUCED WATCHES AND CLOCKS REMAINED ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. EXPORT VOLUMES TO WEST GERMANY, UK AND USA INCREASED BY 128 PER CENT, 46 PER CENT AND 40 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY.

THE CHANGES IN THE VALUES, UNIT VALUES, AND VOLUMES OF IMPORTS CLASSIFIED BY END-USE ARE AS FOLLOWS -

CHANGES IN 1979 OVER 1978

IMPORT VALUES IMPORT UNIT VALUES IMPORT VOLUME

FOODSTUFFS

+ 17%

+ 10%

6%

CONSUMER GOODS

+ 28%

+ 16%

+ 11%

CAPITAL GOODS

+ 49%

+ 10%

+ 36%

RAW MATERIALS AND

SEMI-MANUFACTURES

+ 41%

+ 215

+ 17%

FUELS

+ 58%

+ 45%

9%

ALL COMMODITIES

+ 36%

+ 18%

+ 15%

THE DEMAND FOR CAPITAL GOODS AND RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI- MANUFACTURES WAS FAR MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT FOR CONSUMER GOODS, THE REAL GROWTH IN IMPORTS OF CONSUMER GOODS WAS REGISTERED CHIEFLY IN RADIOS, TELEVISION SETS, GRAMOPHONES, RECORDS AND TAPE RECORDERS (+70%), FOOTWEAR (+ 51%), CLOTHING (+ 34%) AND SOAPS, CLEANSING AND POLISHING PREPARATIONS (+ 27%). ON THE OTHER HAND, A SLIGHT DECREASE (- 35) WAS REGISTERED IN THE DEMAND FOR HOUSEHOLD TYPE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT,

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RAW COTTON WHICH DECLINED BY 12 PER CENT IN VOLUME IN 1979 LOCAL DEMAND FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF RAW MATERIALS CONTINUED TO RISE, PARTICULARLY FOR WOOD, LUMBER AND CORK (+ 38%), PLASTIC MOULDING MATERIALS (+ 31%), LEATHER AND DRESSED FUR SKINS (+ 28%), AND BASE METALS EXCLUDING IRON AND STEEL (+ 25%). IMPORT PRICES FOR IRON AND STEEL WENT UP BY ABOUT 32 PER CENT IN 1979 AND PRICES FOR PLASTIC MOULDING MATERIALS, YARN OF MAN-MADE FI BRES CHEMICAL ELEMENTS AND COMPOUNDS AS WELL AS WOOD, LUMBER AND CORK ALSO ROSE BY SOME 30 PER CENT.

AT 10 PER CENT, THE INCREASE IN PRICES OF IMPORTED CAPITAL GOODS WAS SLIGHT, CONSIDERABLE GROWTH RATES WERE NOTED IN THE VOLUME OF IMPORTS OF OFFICE MACHINES (+76%), TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT (+ 75%), AND ELECTRICAL MACHINERY (+40%).

/THE CHANGES