Import of sensitive items during April-December 2008

The total import of sensitive items for the period April-December 2008 has been Rs.33863.9 crore as compared to Rs.25454.5 crore during the corresponding period of last year thereby showing an increase of 33.0%. The gross import of all commodities during same period of current year was Rs.1003947 crore as compared to Rs.693445 crore during the same period of last year. Thus import of sensitive items constitutes 3.7% and 3.4% of the gross imports during last year and current year respectively.

Imports of food grains have shown a decline at broad group level during the period. Imports of all other items viz. edible oil, automobiles, fruits & vegetables (including nuts), cotton & silk, products of SSI, rubber, spices, alcoholic beverages, marble & granite, tea & coffee and milk & milk products have shown increase during the period under reference.

In the edible oil segment, the import has increased from Rs.8439.82 crore last year to Rs.10943.55 crore for the corresponding period of this year. The imports of both crude edible oil as well as refined oil have gone up by 16.0% and 132.0% respectively. The increase in edible oil import is mainly due to substantial increase in import of crude palm oil and its fractions.

Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, China P RP, Korea RP, Japan, Myanmar, Malaysia, United States of America, Germany, Thailand, Cote D' Ivoire, Brazil, Czech Republic, Italy, Australia, Benin, Sweden etc. have gone up while those from Canada, Argentina, etc. have shown a decrease.