Star News Agency

New Delhi. The total import of sensitive items for the period April-October 2009 has been Rs.35487 crore as compared to Rs.26378 crore during the corresponding period of last year thereby showing an increase of 34.5%. The gross import of all commodities during same period of current year was Rs.716535 crore as compared to Rs 916483 crore during the same period of last year. Thus import of sensitive items constitutes 2.9% and 5.0% of the gross imports during last year and current year respectively.

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

In the edible oil segment, the import has increased from Rs 8195.45 crore last year to Rs 14204.70 crore for the corresponding period of this year. The imports of both crude edible oil as well as refined oil have gone up by 83% and 36% 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, Myanmar, Brazil, Malaysia, United States of America, Japan, Canada, Ukraine, Argentina, Australia, Benin, Guinea Bissau etc. have gone up while those from Korea RP, Germany, Thailand, Cote D’ Ivoire, Czech Republic etc. have shown a decrease.