Total import of sensitive items for the period April-March 2011 has been Rs.70656 crores as compared to Rs.65565 crores during the corresponding period of last year thereby showing an increase of 7.8%. The gross import of all commodities during same period of current year was Rs.1596869 crores as compared to Rs 1363736 crores during the same period of last year. Thus import of sensitive items constitutes 4.8% and 4.4% of the gross imports during last year and current year respectively. 

 

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

 

                In the edible oil segment, the import has increased from Rs 25975.3 crores last year to Rs 29319.1 crores for the corresponding period of this year. A significant feature of edible oil import is that import of crude oil has gone up by 15.8% and that of refined oil have gone down by 2.5%. 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, Argentina, Malaysia, Korea RP, Germany, Ukraine, Thailand, Tanzania REP, Australia, United Kingdom, Cote D’ Ivoire, Vietnam SOC REP etc. have gone up while those from United States of America, Myanmar, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Czech Republic etc. have gone down.

Import of sensitive items shows increased share of gross imports with shifts in edible oil composition and source countries. Import of sensitive items increased by 7.8% in April-March 2011 versus the prior year and comprised a larger share of gross imports; commodity shifts included declines in pulses, cotton & silk, spices and tea & coffee, and increases in edible oil, automobiles, fruits & vegetables, rubber, SSI products, dairy, alcoholic beverages, marble & granite and food grains. Edible oil imports rose overall due to higher crude palm oil and fractions despite a fall in refined oil; imports varied by source country with some suppliers rising and others falling.