Evening star., 1949-07-04
Polish Foreign Trade
With West Is RISING
Rapidly in Volume

Rapidly in Volume
: WARSAW. July 4 (NANA).-
Poland's foreign trade increased
nearly fourfold in the three years
194s-1s48, leaping from $273,5o0.-
600 to $1,O37. 100000. And this
years target for the Ministry Of
Foreign Trade is a 1900, 900 900
volume-with the increase mostly
In trade with the West.
Indeed, the shift away from
Russia and her satellites has been
the greatest single note in Po-
lands foreign trade picture since
1946. That year. Western trade
amounted to 500, 10000 as COM
pared with $177,000,000 worth OF
trade with Communist nations. In
i948, Eastern trade was but $780,
100000, while trade with the
democracies had jumped to $677.-
100000.
- Nevertheless, Russia still is Po-
lands first customer and source
Of supply. Before the war. Soviet
Polish interchange accounted for
less than l per cent Of Poland's
export and import business.
] Coal is Poland's greatest single
export. Last year 25.000,000 tons
went abroad; the target this year
Is $4,000 900 tons in exchange for
hard currencies and credits or in
direct barter for raw materials
and investment materials.
scSome Exports New Since War.
sOther important exports are
textiles, manufactured iron and
steel mainly from rolling-mill out
put. zinc and, this year for the
first time since the end Of the war.
rye and lumber. At the same
time, food sales-principally eggs,
bacon, ham and poultry-are be-
coming more substantial as agri-
culture becomes more highly de-
veloped.
Two new trade agreements
were recently concluded-one with
India providing for a turnover Of
$14.000,000 within IL months, the
other with Pakistan calling for a
total of $20.000,000 within the
same period.
A first trade agreement also
has been signed with Israel. to an
undisclosed value believed around
$10,000,000 for one year. Coal Is
the major item, with iron and
steel manufactures, textiles, china
and glass in return for citrus
fruits. juices and oils. dental
equipment and razor blades.
Negotiations are going forward
also with Egypt, bargaining coal
for cotton.
Commodity lists for the ex-
change between Poland and
Sweden are currently under dis
cussion in Stockholm and eompe-
tent observers expect a substan-
tial increase In mutual trade, pre-
dieting that Sweden will rank
third, after the United Kingdom,
with the Russian zone of Germany
making a close fourth.
saDiscuSSion in Rome is to be
Analized shortly at an expected
sNfal of $50, ,000, 900 turnover. with
italy. coal for automobiles. "
- Biggest Deal Since War. .,-.
The agreement signed with
Britain at the beginning Of the
year was the largest East-West
deal since the end of the war. It
was mostly a breakfast table"
matter for the British. with raw
wool from the sterling area for
the Poles-although many other
commodities were included, some
OF them on the luxury lists of
both countries. The total of the
agreement was for $1.040, 600, 900
over five years, $160, 200, 900 being
the quota for the first year.
The agreement with Argentina
concluded late last Fall was the
first with any South American
republic since the end Of the war
and the provision for 5000, 900
tons of Polish coal this year was
seen as an attempt to break into
a market hitherto regarded as an
american and British preserve.
An interesting point provided for
future airline facilities between
the two countries. An agreement
with Brazil Is expected before the
end Of the year.
In Europe, Poland has firm,
regulated trade relations with all
countries except Greece, Portugal
and Spain. Outside of Europe
proper. she is trading with Tur-
key and the Levant on an in
Ereasing scale, with British West
African colonies where Polish
scEnent is underselling the United
sNngdom product, with North and
South America, the Far East and
smaller deals with the rest of the
world.
!. :sTrade with the United States is
Eanmost nonexistent. An American
sn1plomat once remarked. What
s3f8s Poland got to offer which we
cHn't produce ourselves?" Well,
tie answer is, of course. nothing!
And yet, in 1888 as much as SO
per cent of Polish exports went
to the States and 7.8 per cent of
Polish imports came from there.