Lögberg-Heimskringla - 18.04.1980, Blaðsíða 5

Lögbeig-HeimskringlD, föstudagur 18. aprO, 1980
5
Icelandic lumber
The readers of Logberg-Heimskringla are familiar
with the Icelandic Reforsestation Program. Many of us
are members of Skograektarfelag Islands, an
organization designed to perserve and cultivate the
Icelandic woodlands. Yet most of us are inclined to
think of Icelandic forests as merely an esthetic feature
of scenic landscape. It therefore comes as a pleasant
surprise that, in some parts of the country, farmers
are shifting their centre of operations from con-
ventional animal husbandry to “the farming of the
woodlands”.
Logs from the Ystafell forest
To give an example, the farmers at Ystafell in Sudur
Thingeyjarsysla have entered the field of real forestry
and begun the production of lumber and other related
items.
In a recent newspaper interview Fridgeir Jonsson at
Ystafell disclosed that he is now equipped for the
production of a fairly large volume of fence posts, logs
for smokehouses and the proper kind of birch for
charcoal making. Indeed he maintains that, given the
proper care, the wooded areas in Iceland can be
harvested on a continuing and profitable basis.
Almvtareand
a stopwer in Iceland?
Pulrinsthinköiatis
amlghtygooddeaL
Now you can take ádvantage of our $20* a day stopover tours
of Iceland while you’re taking advantage of our low APEX feare
from NewYork, Chicago, or Baltimore/Washington to Great
Britain or Scandinavia. And $20* is a small price to pay'to visit one
of the most intéresting countries in the world.
Iceland is a land of volcanoes, Viking museums, glaciers,
geysers, cóncérts, art shows, duty-free shópping and hot-spring
pools. And it’s aB ýours for 1 to 3 days for just $20* a day.
That price includes room with bath/shower at the nrst class
Hotel Loftleidír, transfers between fiotel and airport, a sightseeing
trip and two meals daily.
So on your next trip to Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Great
Britain, why not stop over in Jceland for a few days? Puflms
highly recommend that you do so. And Puffins are riever wrong.
For further information see your travel agent or contact
Icelandair, P.O. Box 105, West Hempstead, NY11552. Phone
212-757-8585 (New York City only) or call 800-555-1212 for
the toll-free number in your area. •pricesmeffectoctahm
April 30,1980 and subject to change.
Assumes top role
Ballet dancer Helgi Tomasson has replaced Soviet
dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov as leading performer with
the New York City Ballet and has been assigned a
major role originally created for Baryshnikov.
As a young boy Tomasson began his career with the
Icelandic National Theatre in Reykjavik. From there he
went to Copenhagen and, finally, to New York, where
he has been accorded the distinction of being one of
the world’s most famous ballet dancers.
Icelands Minister of Finance Steingrímur Hermannsson
Icelandair to Continue Transatlantic Services
In late March a meeting of Icelandair represen-
tatives with ministers of transport from Iceland and
Luxenburg gave tentative approval to the amount of
subsidy the airline requires for continued tran-
satlantic services until the fall of 1981, at which time
the entire question of management will-come under
review. Lately, transatlantic airlines have been faced
with escalatihg operating expenses. This problem,
however, in no way diminishes the importance of their
services — a fact duly recognized at the Iceland-
Luxenburg conference.
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An Icelandic pony for $4,300,00
Icelandic horses (ponies) are in great demand in
foreign countries. In the last week of March a ship-
ment of 100 went to Germany. As a rule the horses
have been broken in before they leave Iceland.
Last year, almost 500 Icelandic horses were sold on
foreign markets, most of them in Germany. A few were
shipped to Norway, Holland, Switzerland, and
Canada.
On the home market the average price of a horse is
500,000,00 kr. (ca. $1400,00). Foreign buyers, on the
other hand, pay much higher amounts. In Germany,
for example, the buying price is 1500000,00 kr. (ca.
$4300,00). Shipping costs are, of course, quite high, or
200000,00 kr. (ca. $550,00) per horse.
Helgi Tómasson
ívar Guðmundsson
. . . old lcelandic . ..
Cont. irom page 4
century heathen ancestors
had to contend, the
Christian authors were
consciously or sub-
consciously trying to
analyse and find solution to
some of the problems of
their own contemporary
society.
H.B.
A sensitive issue
Even though Icelandic fish is known to be of good
quality, canned marine products from Iceland have
come under harsh criticisms on foreign markets.
Faulty processing methods and inaccurate weights
and measures have been singled out for adverse
comment. To give an example of the problem, Danish
and German purchasers of the merchandise in
question have found it necessary to return shipments
to their Icelandic suppliers. Similar problems on the
U.S. market have caused a major distributor of
Icelandic marine products, Iceland Waters Industries
in New York, to cease operations. The manager of the
company, Mr. Norman Salkin, is nevertheless such a
firm believer in future U.S. markets for these goods
that he has made their marketing and distribution his
private responsibility.
In an interview with Morgunbladid in Reykjavik,
Consul General of Iceland in New York Ivar Gud-
mundsson has discussed the various aspects of this
problem. Despite his many criticisms of inadequate
processing and business methods, Consul General
Gudmundsson maintains that having made a number of
necessary improvements, Icelandic exporters of
canned fish products can look forward to expanding
markets in the United States.
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• PunktAr •