THE WORLD’S WOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22911, 19 June 1936, Page 6

THE WORLD’S WOOL

STATISTICS OF CONSUMPTION

IMPERIAL ECONOMIC COMMITTEE’S REPORT

Tji September, 1935, the Imperial Economic Committee published a review •ntitled " Wool Production and Trade, 1928-34 ” as a supplement to the monthly “Wool Intelligence,,Notes.” That volume dea It exclusively with the production and export trade in wool. The.committee has aow issued a volume surveying in more detail wool consumption, and the trade In wool products, in 46 different countries during the period 1028-35. This iurvey constitutes an attempt made for the first time to estimate the actual trend of wool consumption in large maimIncturing countries, and brings together in a compact and concise form statistics of available wool supplies, consumption and trade.

Certain salient facts emerge from a *tudy of figures. National wool textile industries in countries previously importing half-finished and finished goods have been rapidly developed, with the result that there has been a material •ontraction in foreign trade in wool manufactures and wool yarn. The demand for raw wool and wool tops, on the other hand, has been maintained, mul the increasing world production of wool lias been absorbed.

The larger manufacturing countries, •quipped for an extensive export trade as well as for their domestic trade, have been severely handicapped by this contraction of their export markets, which has been accentuated by currency fluctuations, foreign exchange complications and a general raising of tariff barriers. Certain countries, however, have suffered less than others. Although exports of wool tops, yarn and tissues from the United Kingdom have been very much reduced as compared with immediate post-war figures, over one-third of the exports of wool tops and yarn from the chief manufacturing countries and nearly 60 per cent, of the total exports of wool clothing tissues were provided by this country in 1935. Other factors contributing to the present healthy statistical position of wool have been the fashion trend in the East, particularly Japan and China, Where wool tissues enjoy a growing popularity, and the consequent industrial development in those countries (more particularly in Japan). In the years 1928-34 four countries—the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Germany —held on an average 59 per cent, of the actual weight _of estimated available world wool supplies, the United' Kingdom heading the list with 19 per cent. In 1935 Germany and Italy, particularly the latter, considerably reduced their purchases of raw wool, though in Germany this fall was partly neutralised by increased imports of semimanufactures. The United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and the Soviet Union, however, all showed material increases in that year.

Aggregate exports of tops from the chief exporting countries increased in 1935 to 130,000.0001 b, as compared with

115.000. in 1934 and 127.000,0001 b in. 1928. France and the United Kingdom contributed the bulk of these exports. The chief importing countries were Germany (where retained imports rose from 2,000,0001 bin 1928 to 30.000. in 1935), Czechoslovakia and Canada.

Aggregate exports of wool yarn fell from about 200,000.0001 b in 1928 to 120.000. in ,1934, there being little change in 1935. Exports from the United Kingdom have been fairly, well maintained during the period under review, but exports from France fell from 02,000,0001 b in 1928 to 23,000,0001 b in 1935, and exports from Czechoslovakia and Germany have also fallen heavily. In general,, the policy of expanding and modernising the spinning equipment of national industries is tending towards self-sufficiency in yarn production wherever possible, and imports are becoming more and more limited to specialised types. Imports into Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Poland and Czechoslovakia have shown particularly large declines. In 1028 exports of wool tissues for clothing purposes frdm the 10 chief exporting countries (exclusive of Japan, whose exports are given in square yards only) aggregated 237,500,0001 b, whereas by 1935 they had fallen to about 103.000. Exports from the United Kingdom fell by about 37 per cent, between 1928 and 1935, reaching their lowest point in; 1932, since when there has been a steady increase. The decrease in exports from Germany during 1928-35 Was about 75 per cent., and from France and Czechoslovakia over 80 , per cent. Italy’s exports were fairly well maintained until 1935. On the other hand, Japanese exports of wool tissues in 1935 (21,000,000 square yards) were, about eight times as large as in 1928, though as yet the volume entering world trade ia comparatively small in relation to domestic production. Imports of wool tissues are very widely distributed, as practically all countries participate , in this trade. Almost everywhere there have been heavy declines since 1928. This trend is, particularly noticeable in the imports into such countries as' Japan, Canada, Argentina, Australia, India and China, where local industries are now providing for an increasing proportion of the home demand. , ,| ■ '

WINTER SHOW AND RACING CARNIVAL