Import Of Sensitive Items Slip By 8 Per Cent

Import of sensitive items numbering 350 being monitored by the Department of Commerce from time to time bearing in mind their sensitivity to domestic markets has shown a decrease of close to 8 per cent during the first two months of the current fiscal.Total import of sensitive items for the period April-May 2007 has been Rs 2,606 crore as compared with Rs 2,828 crore during the corresponding period last year. While the gross import of all commodities during the same period of the current year was Rs 1,48,054 crore as compared with Rs 1,21,305 crore during the same period last year, import of sensitive items constitute 2.3 per cent and 1.8 per cent of the gross imports during last year and current year respectively. Import of edible oils, fruits and vegetables (including nuts), cotton and silk products of small-scale industries, spices, marble and granite and milk and milk products have shown a decline at broad group level during the period, whereas imports of automobiles, rubber and alcoholic beverages have shown increase during the period under reference.