Excerpt from The Position of American Cotton in Switzerland
Because of the strong domestic demand, cotton yarn and fibers are largely reserved for the local market. The entire 1947 output has been sold, and the raw cotton required to cover these sales has been bought.
The 1946 yarn production (cotton and staple fiber) was estimated at metric tons. About one-third of the cotton yarn was combed and two-thirds carded. It is expected that about metric tons of yarn will be produced in 1947 and about tons in 1948.
When the Swiss mills were able to buy any kind of cotton on the Open market, about 49 percent of the mill consumption was Egyptian, about 34 percent American, and some 7 percent Indian.
During the war and since, spinners have been using increasing per centages of staples that are comparable with American cotton. Cotton from Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and the Congo is now being used in the production of yarn that was formerly produced only from American cotton. The prices of these foreign growths in relation to the price of American is an important factor in this shift. Since there was little, or no, cotton on hand January 1, 1945, and the imports and consumption since that date are known, it is possible to calculate the approximate amount of cotton in the country. Based on these data, stocks on hand on January 1, 1947, are estimated at bales. This amount is about equal to a year’s supply at the present rate of consumption.
The shortage of labor is limiting the Operation of Swiss cotton mills. Foreign workers, largely Italian, have been brought into the country, but the shortage is still acute.
Swiss firms manufacturing textile machinery continued to operate during the war, and, as a result, mills were able to obtain parts and replacements. Recently both American and British manufacturers have offered textile machinery for early delivery.
The shortage of coal has not seriously affected the spinning and weaving industry. Many of the mills use hydroelectric power for both heat and power. Finishing plants, however, require coal for their opera tions. The general fuel situation will be improved by the household rationing of coal. A number of new electric plants are being built, but they will not be in Operation for some tim.
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