Russia Produced More Steel Than E.E.C.

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 8

Russia Produced More Steel Than E.E.C.

(N.ZPA.-Reuter—Copyright)

MOSCOW, January 28. Russia last year for the first time produced more steel than all six Common Market countries together, Tass said. In 1960 the Soviet Union had produced 5,000.000 tons less than the Six but, according to news reports, production in the Six last year dropped 0.8 per cent to 72,700,000 tons, and Soviet production went up 8 per cent, to 76,300,000. tons. Tass said comparison with the United States was even more striking. According to preliminary data, United States steel production last

year was about 81,000,000 tons practically the same level as 19S0*s 90,000,000 tons while the Soviet Union had nearly trebled the 1950 production of ferrous metals.

Official figures published today showed Soviet industrial and grain production reached new record levels in 1962. The figures showed a slight increase in the rate of growth of the longneglected consumer goods sector—from 6.6 per cent, in 1961 to seven per cent, in 1962. At the same time the rate of growth in the means of production sector decreased from 10 per cent, to 9.5 per cent. The over-all increase in industrial production amounted to 9.5 per cent said to be several times as large as most Western countries. Grain' production was at a record level of about 147,500,000 metric tons, compared with 137,300,000 metric " tons last year. Western observers said the figure was just inside the target of between 147.000,000 and 103,000,000 tons. Potatoes—grown partly in areas hit by unusual weather—amounted to only 68,000,000 metric tons compared tn 84,300,000 tons last year. This is about 4,000,000 tons less than in 1953, before Mr Khrushchev’s farm drive got under way.

Meat production, though still behind target levels, wao up by nine per cent. In 1961 this figure had fallen by about four per coot.