The total import of sensitive items for the period April-May 2006 has been Rs.2792 crores as compared to Rs.2524 crores during the corresponding period last year thereby showing an increase of 10.6%. The gross import of all commodities during same period of current year was Rs.116523 crores as compared to Rs.91595 crores during the same period of last year. Thus import of sensitive items constitutes 2.8% and 2.4% of the gross imports during last year and current year respectively.
Imports of spices, tea & coffee and Alcoholic beverages have shown a decline at broad group level during the period. Imports of edible oil, fruits & vegetables (including nuts), cotton & silk, products of SSI, rubber, automobiles, marble & Granite and milk & milk products have shown increase during the period under reference.
In the edible oil segment, the imports have increased from Rs.1244 crores last year to Rs.1590 crores for the corresponding period of this year. A significant feature of edible oil import is that import of crude oil has gone up by 41.6% and that of refined oil have gone down by 46.7%. The growth in edible oil import is mainly due to significant increase in import Soyabean Oil and its fractions, which has gone up by 103% and Crude Palm Oil and its fractions which has gone up by 14%.
Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, Argentina, United States of America, China P RP, Sri Lanka DSR, Cote D’ Ivory, Germany, Japan, Australia, Afghanistan TIS etc. have gone up while those from Malaysia. Brazil, Egypt A RP, Benin, Vietnam Soc Rep have shown a decrease.
************
SB/NR/MRS
(Release ID :20621)