CROATIAN CLOTHES, FOOTWEAR FIRMS USE BELGRADE FAIR TO MAKE DEALS

ZAGREB, March 11 (Hina) - The participation of Croatian manufacturers from the textile and footwear sector at a recent international fair of fashion in Belgrade is important, given that Croatian companies promoted themselves with their own brand marks and not with to so-called lohn jobs. This will help Croatian clothes and footwear manufacturers to come back to that market and thus increase their exports. #L# This was said by officials of the industry sector within the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) at a news conference on Tuesday. Fourteen (14) Croatian companies took part in the Belgrade fair and their exhibition was organised and financially backed by the HGK. The Croatian textile industry exported goods, worth 2.3 million U.S. dollars, into Yugoslavia last year, while the exports of the leather industry valued 517.7 thousand dollars. At the same time, the imports of this kind of goods from Yugoslavia came to $2.1 million. At the spring fair in Belgrade, a few Croatian exhibitors were given awards, and business people were able to make contacts with their colleagues from other countries. In addition, the Duga Resa-based textile company made a deal with the "AB Export" firm on the export of the table clothes and bedding, worth 30,000 euros. The Croatian textile and clothes industry consists of 688 companies, while 150 companies are registered as leather manufacturers. In 2001, the income of the textile industry came to 4.7 billion kuna, while leather manufacturers' earnings totalled 911.8 million kuna. According to some figures, there were 33,246 employees with the textile sector last November, while 8,647 people worked in the leather goods and footwear industry. The exports of the textile industry amounted to $592.2 million, while the imports came to $615.9 million. (hina) ms sb