0003230
G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL
- 5-
Second Session (Statistical Sub-Committee)
2.40 p.m.. Tuesday, 22nd April 1969
Shirts. night garments and undergarments. knitted or crocheted
15.
Mr. Strandberg began with a recitation of the figures in Cotton Garments Table 1 (knitted shirts, night garments and under- garments) of the statistical tables provided by the Swedish delegation. Mr. Jordan then observed that Table 1 included shirts, night garments and undergarments and as such seemed too unwieldy to form the basis of a discussion. He asked if Mr. Strandberg would go through the tables item by item.
16.
Mr. Strandberg then referred to the following tables in
succession:
la
: Cotton shirts, knitted or crocheted
lb
: Night garments,
$1
lc
:
Undergarments
ld
Undergarments
#
#1
11
11
11
m.b.
W.g.
17.
Concluding, Mr. Strandberg said that taking these knitted items altogether, global imports increased by about 850 but imports from Hong Kong registered a gain of about 1,000. Thus if Hong Kong' increases were excluded there was an actual decrease in imports from other sources, as well as in Swedish production. These figures therefore illustrated that imports from Hong Kong were hurting Swedish production and the other suppliers.
18.
S
Mr. Jordan observed that the market as a whole appeared to be declining. He pointed out that total supplies in 1965 were at 29.2 million while those for 1968 were only 27.2 million. Swedish production, at 12.0 million in 1968, was on the other hand not much different from the 1965 level of 12.8 million. Total imports in 1968 were in fact lower than total imports in 1965. Moreover, the first two months of 1969 showed that imports from Hong Kong were down. He suggested the possibility of cyclical demand changes. Continuing, Mr. Jordan pointed out that the most remarkable feature was the dominant position achieved by Denmark which had more than twice Hong Kong's share of the market. While imports from Hong Kong doubled between 1965 and 1968, this was achieved against a backdrop of declining total imports and therefore Hong Kong gained only at the expense of other suppliers.
19.
Baron de Geer asked if it was worthwhile going into the historical past. He would compare the 1967 and 1968 figures which brought out Hong Kong's tremendous increase of over 50% against an increase in total imports of only 10%.
20.
Mr. Jordan thought it would be more important to consider the share of the market and Hong Kong's was only one-quarter. Another interesting point was the prices. Hong Kong's were the highest, next to Denmark. Baron de Geer remarked that the differences between Hong Kong's prices and those of Denmark were substantial.
21.
Mr. Jordan said the figures for the first two months of 1969 indicated that imports from Hong Kong and Denmark were down, but Baron de Geer thought that this constituted too short a period for any valid conclusion to be drawn, and Mr. Strandberg thought Hong Kong's down trend was probably due to the restriction imposed and added that the market was switching to man-made fibre at the rate of about 10% a
year.
/22.
CONFIDENTIAL
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