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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 1983
THE CHANGES IN THE VALUE, UNIT VALUE AND VOLUME OF IMPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 2.
AS PRESENTED IN TABLE 2, IMPORT PRICES OF ALL END-USE CATEGORIES INCREASED, RANGING FROM 6 PER CENT FOR BOTH RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES AND FUELS TO 13 PER CENT FOR CONSUMER GOODS.
MANY OF THE MAJOR IMPORTED FOOD STUFFS INCREASED IN
VOLUME TERMS, THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES BEING MEAT AND MEAT PREPARATIONS AND SOYA BEAN OIL, PEANUT OIL AND LARD. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF VEGETABLES AND FRUIT DECLINED SLIGHTLY.
IN THE CONSUMER GOODS CATEGORY, CONSIDERABLE INCREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE REGISTERED FOR HOUSEHOLD TYPE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, WATCHES, CAMERAS, FLASHLIGHT APPARATUS AND SUPPLIES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR. HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE RECORDED FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, TOBACCO MANUFACTURES AND PASSENGER MOTOR CARS.
THE IMPORT VOLUME OF MOST RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES ROSE, AMONG WHICH SILK FABRICS, YARN OF WOOL AND MIXTURES, WOOL AND OTHER ANIMAL HAIR, WOOD, LUMBER AND CORK, RAW COTTON, FABRICS OF WOOL AND MIXTURES AND THERMIONIC CATHODE VALVES AND TUBES, DIODES, TRANSISTORS AND ELECTRICAL MICROCIRCUITS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY. HOWEVER, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF LEATHER AND DRESSED FUR SKINS, IRON AND STEEL AND CLAY AND REFRACTORY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, BUILDING MATERIALS, ETC. EXCEPT GLASS DROPPED MODERATELY.
IMPORTS OF FUELS INCREASED BY 4 PER CENT IN VOLUME TERMS.
ALL THE MAJOR IMPORTED CAPITAL GOODS INCREASED IN VOLUME TERMS, THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES BEING TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT, OFFICE MACHINES AND TEXTILE MACHINERY.
THE CHANGES IN THE VALUE, UNIT VALUE AND VOLUME OF RE-EXPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 3.
AS DEPICTED IN TABLE 3, THE CHANGES IN RE-EXPORT VOLUME VAR IED AMONG THE FIVE END-USE CATEGORIES, RANGING FROM A
4 PER CENT DECREASE FOR CAPITAL GOODS TO A 62 PER CENT INCREASE FOR FUELS.
A GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT SPOKESMAN COMMENTED THAT AS THE VOLUME OF IMPORTS OF RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES GREW AT A FASTER RATE THAN THEIR RE-EXPORTS, RETAINED IMPORTS OF RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN VOLUME TERMS. THIS SUGGESTS THAT DOMESTIC EXPORT PERFORMANCE WILL REMAIN STRONG IN THE COMING MONTHS.
FURTHER DETAILS ARE CONTAINED IN THE MAY 1983 ISSUE OF THE +HONG KONG TRADE INDEX NUMBERS+, AVAILABLE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT HK$2 PER COPY.
/TABLE 1