TNAG-0386-FCO40-432-Exports-of-non-cotton-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-the-EEC-1973 — Page 51

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Man-made fibres at a peak for February

By Peter Hill

Britain's man-made fibre in- dustry achieved levels of pro- duction in February which were a record for the month, accord- ing to figures published today by the British Man-Made Fibres Federation.

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According to the federation, output amounted to 55.5 million kilograms, with production of both filament yarn and staple fibre running at record levels. The federation said that produc- tion of filament yarn totalled 22.83 million kilograms, an in. crease of 33.4 per cent compared with February last year.

. This figure was also 2.4 per cent higher than the previous February record total achieved in 1971.

The federation pointed out that in February last year fila. ment yarn output suffered Įseverely from power ruts, although staple fibre reached a record level.

TIMES.

421

.fill

& COD SUDD cd fabrics A imports double

Portugal and Italy cach

AS of polyester-cotton shipped substantially more man-

fabrics almost doubled

ar against 1971, according igures published by the extile Statistics Bureau.

The bureau said imports of polyester cotton blended fabrics amounted to 121 million square yards compared with 61 million square yards in 1971. These figures reflect the overall long; term expansion in imports of WOVCH man made fibre fabrics.

Yea they totalled 315 mullion square yards compared with 221 nution square yards in 1971.

But polyester-cotton imports can be expected to ease in the second half of this year as a result of the restrictions im- posed by the Department of Trade and Industry en exports of polyester cotton blends from South Korea, Hongkong and Taiwan since the beginning of Jast October.

According to the bureau poly ester cotton fabric imports from Hongkong totalled 54 million square yards, while South Korea and Taiwan respectively sup plied 9 million and 6 million square yards. The United States, was the second major supplier, aremunting; For 24 milion square yards of total imports.

made fibre fabrics of various sorts to the United Kingdom last year and imports of woven man-made fibre made-up articles increased from air estimated 150 million square yards in 1971 to 188 million square yards last

year.

Imports of cotton cloth also expanded sharply in the final quarter of the year. This was partly seasonal and parth as a result of the backlog from the dock strike in the summer: Total imports for the year amounted 1o 514 million sq yards com- pared with 602 million sq yards the previous year-although there was a significant increase in the quantity of finished fabrics imported.

"Cotton quotas were substan- tially under-fulfilled last year. Unusually, this is true even in the case of Hongkong, which is significant in the light of the facility granted to the Crown Colony to tuse part nt her cotton quota for polyester. cotton textiles under the new arrangements ", the Intrean and

Imports of Colton Var creased markedly however du img: 1972 for the first trone in several years.

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