Import of 300 sensitive items up by 27 pc

Import of the 300 sensitive tariff lines monitored by the Commerce Ministry has increased by 27 pc in the period April-January 2003-04 to Rs 14,621 crore as compared to Rs 11,532 crore during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. Increase in import of all commodities including sensitive items registered a lower growth of 18.4 pc to Rs 2,85,305 crore in April-January 2003-04 from Rs 2,40,966 crore in the first ten months of 2002-03.

According to an official release, import of the sensitive items constitute only 4.8 pc and 5.1 pc of the gross imports during last year and the current year respectively. Rubber and alcoholic beverages recorded a sharp increase of 164.5 pc and 121.8 pc . Edible oil, cotton 038; silk, fruits 038; vegetables, milk 038; milk products, products of the small scale sector and items in the other products category, too, registered an increase.

Import of spices and tea 038; coffee, have shown a decline. Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, USA, Egypt, Thailand and Japan have gone up while those from Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Mozambique and Australia have shown a decline.