TNAG-0627-FCO40-775-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1977 — Page 113

AFP-162

EXORECO TEXTILE RECORD

LONDON, MAY 5 (AFP) - BRITISH TEXTILE EXPORTS SET A NEW RECORD IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR WITH A GAIN OF ALMOST 47 PER CENT IN VALUE, COMPARED WITH THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD IN 1976.

OFFICIAL STATISTICS GAVE THE TOTAL VALUE AS 407 MILLION POUNDS STERLING (ABOUT 691.9 MILLION DOLLARS, AGAINST 277 MILLION POUNDS (470.3 MILLION DOLLARS) IN 1976.

CLOTHING EXPORTS ALONE REACHED 119 MILLION POUNDS (202.3 MILLION DOLLARS), AGAINST 74,000,000 POUNDS (60 PER CENT UP) OR 425.8 MILLION DOLLARS), WHILE THOSE OF OTHER TEXTILES ANOUNTED -TO 288 MILLION POUNDS (489.6 MILLION DOLLARS) (UP 42 PER CENT);

AGAINST 203 MILLION POUNDS (345.1 MILLION DOLLARS).

C. RUSSELL SHITH, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE WOOL TEXTILE DELEGATION, SAID THAT THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY EXPECTED TO RAISE THE VALUE OF ITS OWN EXPORTS FROM 300 MILLION POUNDS (510 MILLION DOLLARS) LAST YEAR TO 400 MILLION POUNDS (680 MILLION DOLLARS) IN 1977.

EXPORTS AT PRESENT AVERAGED 5.000 POUNDS (8,500 DOLLARS) PER WORKER, HE SAID, STRESSING THAT, THOUGH GREAT BRITAIN HAD A BAD REPUTATION FOR ITS STRIKES; THE WOOL INDUSTRY HAD NOT HAD A WORK STOPPAGE SINCE 1926. MORE/GBN/19.10