N.Z. CROSSBRED WOOL

Chronicle (Levin), 2 October 1948, Page 5

N.Z. CROSSBRED WOOL

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Rettt&h

■ ■■ •. — m — inereasing Italian Interest Spoken Of

Copyfighi)

Received Friday, 8.0O p-.m. LONDON, Oct. 1. The strong revival of the woo! industrxes of Italy and Switzerland impressed members of the International. Wool Secretariat (Mr. R. G. Lund, from New Zealand, and Mr. R. J. C. .Cronje, from South Africa) dhilng their visit £ t6 both countries. The Secretariat reeently established consulative coinmittees in Italy and Sfvitzerland, and Messrs. Lnnd and Ci'bnje attended the meetings of these bodies. They also had- discussions with leading members of the wool industry. ' ' The revival of the wool industry i u Italy has been spectacular, " said Mr, Lund 011 his return to' London. "Italy has the second largest "frool textile in-. dnstry in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. Her imports of raw wool in 1947 were running at almost twiee Ihe pre-war level. During the selfsu'fiiciency drive of the late thirtles the Italian Wool textile industry was the first to work predominently with rayon and such flbres as lanital-. It is signiflcant that the return to a more iiberal eeonomic policy after the war has resulted in a surprising increase in Italian virgin wool consumption. ' ' The proportion of virgin wools used in Italian textiles is now highei than ever before, reaching probably 70 per cent to 75 percent compared with 50 per cent. in 1932-34, and only 35 per cent. in 1935-38. Some of the latest Ttaiian worsteds reach^ a very high quality. | 11 Italy 's direct imports of New Zealand wool have shown a sharp increase from an average of 221,00015) scoured weight. between 1932-34 to 2,730,0001b in 1947. This _ is a small proportion of Italy 's total imports for 1947 of 170,000,0001b, but the direct. import figure is not a reliable guide to the quantity of New Zealand wool aetually consumed. In .1946-47, for instance, Italy imported very substantial quantities of tvool from the United Kingdom, Belgium and France, and these imports would inelude New Zealand types, but there is no way of finding out the quantities involved. "Several Italian industrialists spoke of tlieir increased interest in New Zealand crossbrecds and the prospects of expansion of trade seem good. However the general wool trade outlook is a little uncertain because high production costs are causing difiieurties in maintaining exports of wool textiles at1 their 1947 level. " ' In Switzerland the wool industry is of very mueh more modest -proportions, but it has experieneed a similar sharp reaction in favour of pure wool products, and raw wool imports in 1947 were exceptionallv high. The International Wool Secretariat has startefl operations in both these countries only in reeent months and with the fuil cooperation of the two local wool industries it is proceeding with programmes of wool promotion. In Italy so far the emphasis has been on wool education since Ihe textile flrms themselves advertise on an extensive scale. T11 Switzerland, however, a modest programme of advertising is being undertaken and educational work and exhibitioiis are being arranged for the coming year.