SOVIET WOOL OUTPUT

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30143, 29 May 1963, Page 20

SOVIET WOOL OUTPUT

28 P.C. Rise In Five Years (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) PALMA (Majorca), May 27. The Soviet Union is leading the world in its rate of increase for wool production. The International Wool Textile Organisation announced this today at its annual conference in Palma. The Soviet Union raised its output by 28 per cent in five years, compared with 20 per cent., in New Zealand and 17 per cent, in Australia. The estimated Soviet clip for 1962-63 was 806 m lb—still less than half the clip from Australia, the world’s biggest producer.

New Zealand, the third biggest producer, increased its output to 605 m lb. The world’s raw wool, production estimate for the current season is 5650 m lb —l per cent, lower than the 1961-62 record figure. Britain Biggest Buyer

Britain continued to buy more wool than any other country. Last year Britain consumed 448 m lb—s6m lb more than the United States.

The third biggest consumer was Japan with 297 m lb, closely followed by France.

The European Common Market remained heavily dependent on the outside world; for wool. The six countries used about 770 m lb (clean weight) in 1962, and their production filled only about 9 per eent. of their needs.