India's senstive imports up 12 pc in April-June 07

New Delhi, Aug 7 (UNI) India's total import of sensitive items for the April-June quarter of current fiscal went up to Rs 4,877 crore from Rs 4,371 crore during the corresponding period last year, an increase of 11.6 per cent.

The senstive imports, however, constituted just 2.4 per cent and 2.2 per cent of the gross imports of Rs 2,26,321 crore and Rs 1,85,988 crore respectively during the comparable periods, an official statement said today.

While imports of fruits and vegetables (including nuts), products of small scale industry, spices, marble, granite, tea, coffee milk and milk products declined, that of edible oil, cotton silk, automobiles, rubber and alcoholic beverages increased during the comparable quarters of last and this year.

Import of edible oil increased from Rs 2,407 crore in the April-June quarter last year to Rs 2,802 crore in the first quarter of current financial year. This was due to significant growth in import of crude palm oil and its fractions, which went up by 28 per cent.

Import of crude oil and refined oil went up by 15.7 per cent and 30.9 per cent respectively during the comparable periods of study, the statement added.

While imports of sensitive items recorded increase from Indonesia, China, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Thailand and Australia, those from Argentina, United States, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Egypt declined during the period.

UNI