Import of sensitive items up over 40 per cent in Q1 2009-10
08 Sep 2009
The import of sensitive items into the country rose 40.6 per cent to Rs13,509 crore during the first quarter of the current fiscal (April-June 09-10) against such imports worth Rs9,608 crore during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal (April-June 2008-09).
The spike in imports have been due mainly to a 316.2 per cent jump in import of milk and milk products and a 168.2 per cent rise in refined edible oil imports, an official release said today.
Gross import of all commodities during the April-June 2009-10 quarter, however, stood lower at Rs248,171 crore against Rs334,191 crore during the same period last year.
Sensitive items constituted 5.4 per cent of the total imports into the country in the first quarter of the current fiscal against 2.9 per cent during the same quarter of the previous fiscal.
Imports of almost all items, including edible oils, fruits and vegetables (including nuts), cotton and silk, rubber, spices, marble and granite, milk and milk products, tea and coffee and food grains have increased during the period under reference. However, imports of automobiles, alcoholic beverages and products of SSI showed a decline at a broad group level during the period.
Import of edible oils have more than doubled at Rs5546.53 crore during the April-June of the current fiscal from the level of Rs2,572.24 crore in the same quarter of the last fiscal.
