IMPORT OF SENSITIVE ITEMS- CRUDE OIL MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO IMPORT GROWTH

DATA FOR APRIL-JULY 2003

Press Note

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The total import of 300 sensitive tariff lines for the period April-July 2003 has been Rs 5,879 crore as compared to Rs 4,228 crore during the corresponding period of last year thereby showing a growth of 39%. The gross import of all commodities during same period of current year was Rs 1,06,440 crore as compared to Rs 86,802 crore during the same period of last year. Thus import of 300 sensitive items constitute only 4.9% and 5.5% to the gross import during last year and current year respectively. The major item that has contributed significantly to the growth is crude palm oil and its fractions.

2. Import of spices, Tea & coffee and Milk & Milk products have shown a decline at broad group level during the period. Import of edible oil, cotton & silk, fruits & vegetables, automobiles, rubber and SSI products have shown increase during the period under reference.
3. In the edible oil section, the import have increased from Rs 2,681 crore last year to Rs 4,038 crore for the corresponding period of this year. However, significant feature of edible oil import is that while import of crude oil have gone up by 69%, that of refined palm oil & palmolein have increased by only 11% indicating a better utilisation of the processing capacity in the country. Imports of Soya bean crude oil, kernail crude oil and sunflower crude oil have also gone up.
4. Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, USA, Egypt, Thailand, Mali, Greece, Guinea Bisu & Afganistan etc. have gone up while those from China, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Switzerland & Australia etc. have shown some decrease.

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