ELABORATELY Transformed Manufactures form the apex of WA’s recent export performance, says Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan.
Mr Cowan said in a climate of falling commodity prices, the 12.9 per cent increase in value of ETM exports in 1998-99, compared with the previous financial year, was a significant boost for WA.
He said the preliminary figures provided through the WA Treasury revealed exports of manufactured goods worth $2.5 billion now accounted for more than 11 per cent of WA’s exports, with ETM exports at $1.8 billion or 8 per cent of total merchandise exports.
“Importantly, export growth was widespread across many different manufacturing sectors with
specialised machinery and equipment exports up 258 per cent and medicines and pharmaceutical up 133 per cent,” Mr Cowan said.
“This was despite falls in some areas of traditional strength such as shipbuilding.”
“Interestingly, exports to the Indian Ocean Rim region and Africa, targeted by recent Govern-ment trade strategies, grew by 21 per cent to $2.6 billion,” he said.
