Total import of sensitive items for the period April-November 2011 has been Rs.67264 crores as compared to Rs.47260 crores during the corresponding period of last year thereby showing an increase of 42.3%. The gross import of all commodities during same period of current year was Rs.1435305 crores as compared to Rs.1085781 crores during the same period of last year. Thus import of sensitive items constitutes 4.4% and 4.7% of the gross imports during last year and current year respectively.
Imports of milk & milk products and food grains have declined at broad group level during the period. Imports of all other items viz. edible oil, fruits & vegetables (including nuts), pulses, automobiles, rubber, products of SSI, cotton & silk, spices, alcoholic beverages, marble & granite and tea & coffee have increased during the period under reference.
In the edible oil segment, the import has increased from Rs.18890.3 crores last year to Rs. 31066.5 crores for the corresponding period of this year. The imports of both crude oil as well as refined oil have gone up by 64.6% and 63.7% 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, Malaysia, Argentina, Germany, Korea RP, Ukraine, United States of America, Canada, Myanmar, Japan, Thailand, United Kingdom, Cote D’ Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Benin etc. have gone up while those from Brazil, Australia etc. have gone down.