TNAG-0163-FCO40-199-Export-of-textiles-to-Norway-and-Sweden-1969 — Page 206

TOP COPY

CYPHER/CAT A

IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TOL CORAM NO 81

CONFIDENTIAL NEUTRAL/

CONTENT LAL.

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

27 JANUARY 1969

ADDRESSED TO FCO TEL NO. 81 OF 27 JANUARY RFI STOCKHOLM, UKMIS GENEVA (FOR JONES).

TEXTILE CONSULTATIONS: HONG KONG - SWEDEN."

MY OBSERVATIONS ON THE THREE ITEMS ARE (HK STATISTICAL CLASSIFICATION SERIES 841, ALL FIGURES IN THOUSAND PIECES):

462

J

MARKET IS SHRINKING, BUT SWEDISH PRODUCTION HAS BEEN DECLINING EVEN FASTER THAN OVERALL CONSUMPTION. EXPORTS HAVE BEEN

IMPROVING BUT ARE VERY SMALL. 1967-68 HONG KONG HAS GAINED

INCREASING SHARE OF GROWING IMPORTS. HONG KONG SUPPLIES COMPRISED 40 PER CENT OF IMPORTS AND 60 PER CENT OF PRODUCTION IN 1967, AND ARE ESTIMATED AT 479 FOR 1968, WHICH MAY REPRESENT

150 PER CENT OF SWEDISH PRODUCTION. SHIPMENTS WHICH HAVE

LEFT HONG KONG AND WHICH WILL ARRIVE IN SWEDEN IN 1969

TOTAL 124. OUTSTANDING E/AS NOW 62.

\EX 751

TABLES SHOW SWEDISH PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION, TOTAL IMPORTS,

IMPORTS FROM HONG KONG, AND EXPORTS ALL INCREASING EACH YEAR. THIS APPLIES TO QUOTE ALL ANORAKS UNQUOTE AS WELL AS THIS

ITEM.

AS REGARDS THIS ITEM, ARRIVALS FROM HONG KONG DURING 1968 ARE ESTIMATED AT 256, APPROXIMATELY 65 PER CENT OF TOTAL IMPORTS. SHIPMENTS WHICH HAVE ALREADY LEFT HONG KONG AND WHICH WILL ARRIVE IN SWEDEN IN 1969 TOTAL 110. BY 15/1/69 E/AS FOR 126 HAD ALREADY LAPSED. NEVERTHELESS OUTSTANDING E/AS STILL TOTAL 187. THUS POTENTIAL ARRIVALS FROM HONG KONG IN 1969 (110 PLUS 187), ALREADY EXCEED 1968 FIGURE AND COMPARE WITH THE RESTRAINT LIMIT OF 189 FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30/6/69

IN RESPECT OF MALE ANORAKS.

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31 27 JAN 1969

HKLG/231/1

CONFIDENTIAL

LACT

REF.

-

/EX 764

47