XN000022-1983-06-15 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, Jun 15, 1983

HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN EXPORT VOLUME WERE REGISTERED FOR CLOTHING (EXCEPT FUR) (-12 PER CENT), METAL MANUFACTURES (-13 PER CENT), TEXTILE MADE-UPS AND RELATED ARTICLES (-16 PER CENT), RADIOS OF ALL KINDS (-20 PER CENT), TRAVEL GOODS, MARDBAGS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES (-28 PER CENT) AND FOOTWEAR (-29 PER CENT).

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 TWO PER CENT FOR RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI- MANUFACTURES TO 10 PER CENT FOR CAPITAL GOODS.

MANY OF THE MAJOR IMPORTED FOODSTUFFS DECLINED IN VOLUME TERMS, THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES BEING VEGETABLES, FRUIT AND LIVE POULTRY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF SUGAR, RICE AND SOYA BEAN OIL, PEANUT OIL AND LARD ROSE SUBSTANTIALLY,

IN THE CONSUMER GOODS CATEGORY, SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN IMPORT VOLUME WERE REGISTERED FOR WATCHES, RADIOS, TELEVISION SETS, GRAMOPHONES, RECORDS, TAPE RECORDERS AND AMPLIFIERS AND CLOTHING.

THESE INCREASES WERE, HOWEVER, JUST OFFSET BY DECLINES IN THE IMPORT VOLUMES OF MISCELLANEOUS MADE-UP ARTICLES OF TEXTILE MATERIALS, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, PASSENGER MOTOR CARS AND TOBACCO MANUFACTURES.

WHILE THE IMPORT VOLUME OF RAW COTTON, WOOD, LUMBER AND CORK AND BASE METALS (EXCLUDING IRON AND STEEL) DROPPED, THE IMPORT VOLUME OF MOST RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES ROSE, AMONG WHICH MAN- MADE FIBRES, YARN OF WOOL AND MIXTURES AND THERMIONIC CATHODE VALVES AND TUBES, DIODES, TRANSISTORS AND ELECTRICAL MICRO-CIRCUITS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.

A GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT SPOKESMAN COMMENTED THAT AGAINST THE TWO PER CENT GROWTH IN VOLUME TERMS OF IMPORTS OF RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES IN MARCH, THERE WAS A THREE PER CENT DECLINE IN THE IR RE-EXPORTS.

THERE MUST, THEREFORE, HAVE BEEN SOME RECOVERY IN THE GROWTH RATE OF RETAINED IMPORTS OF RAW MATERIALS AND SEMI-MANUFACTURES IN VOLUME TERMS, WHICH WOULD IMPLY BRIGHTER PROSPECTS FOR DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, HE SAID.

IMPORTS OF FUELS DROPPED BY 12 PER CENT IN VOLUME TERMS.

MANY OF THE MAJOR IMPORTED CAPITAL GOODS DECLINED IN VOLUME TERMS. THE MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES BEING INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY OTHER THAN TEXTILE AND ELECTRICAL TYPES, AND TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT, SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES WERE, HOWEVER, RECORDED IN THE IMPORT VOLUME OF OFFICE MACHINES.

THE CHANGES IN VALUE, UNIT VALUE AND VOLUME OF RE-EXPORTS BY END-USE CATEGORY ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 3.

S LIKY.