London, Apr. 21 Official statistics of the economic conditions in Palestine now available for study in London, show that despite the continued state of political unsettlement, this year will be one of a marked progress in many kinds of activity One outstanding fact is that the citrus industry is assured of a record year. Already some weeks before the season closes, the export gures are twenty per cent. higher han the total for amy previous year. Railway and road transport have inevitably been adversely affected by the disturbed situation, but general trade this year is showing real improvement on the vious months [and imports are again over the £1,000,000 mark, having climbed to the level of the first months of 1938.
The cargo loaded in Palestine ports in 1038, was greater than in any previous year, and the tonnage of shipping entered and cleared, was surpassed only in 1935. The level of oil exports was maintained notwithstanding occasional attempts at sabotage.
Potash exports from the Dead Sea workings totalled £285,000 for 1988 revealing an increase of over sixty per cent. on the previous year. This was especially striking in view of the attacks of bandits on potash convoys.
The consumption of electric power last year reached a new high level totalling 78,713,000 kilowatt hours, as compared with 76,998,000 in 1937. t is estimated that electric power is, at present. available to considerably over half of the population of the country.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.