Most Soviet industry grows

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 49

Most Soviet industry grows

NZPA-AP Moscow Soviet oil output fell sharply in 1985 for the second year and industrial targets also were missed for steel, mineral fertilisers and plastics, according to economic statistics. But over-all industrial output achieved a planned 3.9 per cent increase over 1984, and production of consumer goods rose 6 per cent, said the partial statistics released by the news agency, Tass. The agency reported a 3.1 per cent increase, to 567 billion roubles (about $1417 billion) of a figure called “national income used for consumption and accumulation”. liThe Soviet tot publish an equivalent

of the Western concept of gross national product.

It said per capita income rose 2.5 per cent, to about 525 roubles ($1318), and the average industrial

wage climbed from 261 roubles ($655) to 268 roubles ($671). Oil production figures showed output fell to 595 million tons from 613 million tons in 1984. That year saw the first drop in Soviet oil production since World War 11, down from 616.3 million tons in 1983. The Soviet Union is the world’s largest oil producer, and traditionally has used oil and gas sales to earn hard currency to pay for grain and other imports. & The year-end statistics

said targets for natural gas had been met. It gave no figures, but production was targeted at 630 billion cubic metres a year in 1981, the first year of the five-year plan period that ended December 31. Tass said the increase in total industrial output was achieved by a 4.6 per cent growth in the second half, of 1985, 50 per cent more than the growth rate for the first half. For the fifth straight year, the Soviets did not release their grain production figure. Tass said only: “The supply of grain to the State in 1985 completely secures the supply of the country’s population with bread and flour products.” The United States De-

partment of Agriculture has estimated the 1985 harvest at roughly 190 million tonnes, while the Soviets have said they are aiming for annual harvests of up to 250 million tonnes. They make up the shortfall, mostly in animal fodder, by importing grain from the United States and other countries. Meat production rose to 17.1 million tonnes (16.7 million tonnes in 1984), and milk production to 98.2 million tonnes (97.6 million tonnes), the statistics showed. Egg production rose to 77 billion eggs from 76 billion in 1984. With the new,, population given as 278.2:- million as of Januar/T, this equals about 28

eggs a citizen a year. Tass said engineering was one field which made "particularly fast progress” in 1985, and reported without further detail that targets were met in the production of industrial robots, automobiles, grain and cotton harvesters, means of automation and computers. Other industries which achieved planned targets included the gas, coal, metal ore branches and some non-ferrous metals. Fields where targets were missed included the extraction and primary refining of oil, manufacture of ready-rolled steel, other ferrous metals, mineral fertilisers, synthetic resins and Tass said. f