Import of sensitive items decline by 12.5 pc

New Delhi, Jun 22: The total import of sensitive items recorded a fall of 12.5 per cent at Rs 16,469 crore in 2005-2006, as against Rs 18,832 crore during the corresponding period last year.

However, the gross import of all commodities during the same period stood at Rs 620,827 crore as compared to Rs 478,302 crore during the corresponding period last year, according to official figures released here today.

The import of sensitive items constituted 2.7 per cent of the gross imports in April 2005-March 2006 against 3.9 per cent in the corresponding period the previous year.

Imports of edible oil, cotton and silk, milk and milk products and rubber have shown a decline at broad group level during the same period of the year. Imports of fruits and vegetables (including nuts), spices, automobiles, tea and coffee, alcoholic beverages and products of SSI have shown increase in 2005-06.

In the edible oil segment, the imports have decreased to Rs 8710 crore in the same period from Rs 11,066 in the corresponding period last year. However, the import of crude oil rose by 21.7 per cent while that of refined oil went down by 77.8 per cent in the same period.

The decline in edible edible oil import was due to huge shortfall in import of RBD Palmoline, which went down by 73 per cent while other refined palm oil declined by 81 per cent.

UNI