XN000022-1981-05-03 — Page 3

SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1981

CONS IDERABLE GROWTH IN THE VOLUME OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS WAS NOTED FOR WATCHES AND CLOCKS (+45 PER CENT), METAL ORES AND SCRAP (+38 PER CENT) AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS (+35 PER CENT). HOWEVER, THE EXPORT VOLUMES OF THE OTHER COMMODITY GROUPS DECLINED.

THE CHANGES IN THE VALUES, UNIT VALUES AND VOLUMES OF IMPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY ARE SHOWN BELOWI

CHANGES COMPARING FEBRUARY 1981 WITH FEBRUARY 1980

IMPORT

VALUES

IMPORT UNIT

VALUES

IMPORT VOLUMES

FOODSTUFFS

+20%

+16%

+ 3%

CONSUMER GOODS

+40%

-LELS

+14%

+ 6% +40%

+33%

-19%

RAW MATERIALS

+21%

+ 7%

+13%

AND

SEMI-MANUFACTURES

CAPITAL GOODS ALL COMMODITIES

+36%

+ 6%

+28%

+28%

+10%

+16%

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FUELS, THE PRICES OF WHICH JUMPED BY 40 PER CENT, THE PRICES OF IMPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY INCREASED MODERATELY, RANGING FROM 6 PER CENT FOR CONSUMER GOODS AND CAPITAL GOODS, TO 16 PER CENT FOR FOODSTUFFS.

MOST IMPORTED FOODSTUFFS ROSE IN VOLUME TERMS, THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES BEING CEREALS AND CEREAL PREPARATIONS, AS WELL AS VEGETABLES. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE IMPORT VOLUMES OF PEANUT OIL AND LARD, RICE, AS WELL AS TEA AND COFFEE FELL.

IN THE CONSUMER GOODS CATEGORY, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE REGISTERED FOR HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, FOOTWEAR, RADIOS, TELEVISION SETS, GRAMOPHONES, RECORDS AND TAPE RECORDERS, CAMERAS AND APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, AND CLOTHING. THE IMPORT VOLUME OF TOBACCO MANUFACTURES DECLINED.

IMPORTS OF FUELS DROPPED BY 19 PER CENT IN VOLUME TERMS.

THE IMPORT VOLUMES OF VARIOUS KINDS OF RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI- MANUFACTURES SHOWED A MIXED TREND, WHEREAS PURCHASES OF FABRICS OF MAN-MADE FIBRES AND WOOLLEN YARN ROSE SUBSTANTIALLY, DEMAND FOR RAW COTTON, COTTON YARN AND THREAD AND BASE METALS (EXCLUDING IRON AND STEEL) DECLINED.

AS FOR CAPITAL GOODS, MAJOR INCREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE RECORDED FOR TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT AND ELECTRICAL MACHINERY.

THE CHANGES