XN000022-1988-10-11 — Page 11

10

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1988

U.S. AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO HK ON RISE

**

HONG KONG IS FIRMLY COMMITTED TO AN OPEN MARKET POLICY AND IS A MAJOR EXPORT MARKET FOR U.S. GOODS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO, MR PETER JOHNSON, TOLD A GROUP OF 50 SENIOR EXECUTIVES INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE AND ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES.

SPEAKING LAST WEEK IN MODESTO, LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL VALLEY AND A CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, MR JOHNSON SAID THAT WITH HONG KONG'S LACK OF TARIFF BARRIERS OR IMPORT DUTIES, ITS AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS HAD MORE THAN DOUBLED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.

"LAST YEAR U.S. AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO THE TERRITORY 35 PER CENT TO TOTAL US$525 MILLION,

m HE SAID.

ROSE BY

"IN FACT DESPITE ITS SMALL POPULATION HONG KONG NOW BUYS MORR THAN ONE-FIFTH OF TOTAL U.S. EXPORTS OF FRESH PRODUCE."

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, NUTS WERE CALIFORNIA'S FIFTH VALUED AT US$120 MILLION.

INCLUDING FRUIT, GRAPES, VEGETABLES AND MAJOR EXPORT TO HONG KONG IN 1987,

REFERRING TO THE FUTURE, PROSPECTS WERE BRIGHT FOR THE RUN BELIEVED HONG KONG WOULD REMAIN QUALITY PRODUCTS.

UP

MR JOHNSON SAID THAT ECONOMIC TO 1997 ADN BEYOND, AND HE ATTRACTIVE MARKET PLACE FOR

AN

MORE SKILLED PRINTERS TO MATCH EXPORT-LED GROWTH

THE PRINTING INDUSTRY IS EXPECTED TO GROW AND NEED MORE WELL-TRAINED WORKERS TO COPE WITH INCREASING SOPHISTICATION IN THE INDUSTRY, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY REPORT RELEASED TODAY (TUESDAY) BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.

THE SURVEY, CONDUCTED BY THE PRINTING INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD OF THE COUNCIL IN MARCH, SHOWED THAT MANPOWER IN THE INDUSTRY HAS INCREASED AT AN AVERAGE ANNUAL RATE OF 3.6 PER CENT FROM 23,700 IN 1986 TO 25,500.

IT WAS MAINLY DUE TO THE RISE OF THE EXPORT OF PRINTED PRODUCTS TO WORLD MARKETS, THE UNITED STATES IN PARTICULAR.

THE BOARD