Imports of sensitive items rise by 11%

India's imports of sensitive items, including edible oil, have gone up 11.1 per cent to Rs 20,589 crore (Rs 205.89 billion) during April-December period of the current fiscal from Rs 18,532 crore (Rs 185.32 billion) a year ago.

In the edible oil segment, the imports increased to Rs 8,433 crore (Rs 84.33 billion) in the first three quarters of 2007-08 from Rs 7,929 crore (Rs 79.29 billion) in the same period last year.

The imports of both crude oil as well as refined oil went up by 5.6 per cent and 13.1 per cent respectively.

"The increase in edible oil import is mainly due to significant growth in import of crude palm oil and its fractions, which has gone up by 11 per cent," an official statement said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Imports of fruits and vegetables (including nuts), foodgrain, cotton and silk, automobiles, rubber, alcoholic beverages and tea and coffee have also shown increase during the period under review.

However, imports of spices, marble and granite, and milk and milk products have shown decline at broad group level during the period.

Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, Canada, China, US, Russia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Guinea Bissau, Ukraine etc have gone up, while those from Argentina, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cote D Ivoire and Australia have shown a decrease.

Import of sensitive items constitute three per cent of the gross imports during last year as well as the current year, the statement added.