JAPANESE ELECTRONIC GIANT TO START PRODUCTION PROGRAMME IN CRO

( Editorial: --> 2238 ) ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - The business cooperation between Croatia's Dastra Grupa and renowned Japanese electronic company Hitachi should soon result in the launching of a production programme in Croatia, the managements of the two companies told reporters in Zagreb on Tuesday. The said programme would increase the current business agreement between the two companies five times in the course of next year, thus reaching DEM12 million. It was announced that seven new Dastra techno-centres were to be opened throughout Croatia, in which Dastra Grupa will invest about DEM5.8 million. The launching of the production programme comes in the wake of an agreement signed in April this year which gave Dastra Grupa exclusive rights to represent and distribute Hitachi electronic products on the domestic market. The April agreement also enabled the domestic buyer to purchase high-quality Hitachi products at prices 12 to 15 per cent lower than in the past. Hitachi is the 13th largest electronic company in the world. (hina) ha 221818 MET sep 98