The importation of industrial supplies increased by Lm5.2 million to Lm47.0 million from Lm41.8 million. At the same time there was an increase of Lm11.4 million in imports of capital goods while consumer goods imports went up by Lm1.2 million to Lm25.8 million. An increase of Lm7.7 million was also registered in the importation of fuel and lubricants. In the month under review, total exports amounted to Lm59.9 million, an increase of Lm0.5 million from Lm59.4 million in February 2005.
Merchandise Trade: January-February
Total imports for the first two months of 2006 increased by Lm19.2 million or 10.1 per cent to Lm209.6 million from Lm190.4 million for the same period of last year. Imports of industrial supplies increased by Lm2.7 million or 3.0 per cent to Lm93.0 million, with the importation of capital goods also going up to Lm40.3 million, representing an increase of Lm7.9 million or 24.4 per cent. Meanwhile consumer goods imports increased by Lm4.5 million or 9.5 per cent from Lm47.6 million to Lm52.1 million. Imports of fuel and lubricants improved by Lm4.1 million or 20.4 per cent over the comparable period last year.
In the period January-February 2006, total exports went up by Lm13.8 million to Lm132.5 million, representing an 11.6 per cent increase from Lm118.7 million of the same period of 2005.
Visible Trade Gap
During February 2006 the visible trade gap widened by Lm25.0 million to Lm54.5 million from Lm29.5 million of the same month of 2005, with the overall visible trade gap for the first two months of 2006 widening by Lm5.4 million to Lm77.1 million from Lm71.7 million reported in the period January-February 2005.
Direction of Trade
During the first two months of 2006, arrivals from the European Union amounted to Lm133.2 million, making up 63.5 per cent of total imports recorded. The main trading EU partners were Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and France with Lm56.4 million, Lm18.9 million, Lm18.8 million and Lm14.9 million respectively. Imports from Asia totalled Lm33.6 million, or 16.0 per cent of total imports, with Singapore registering Lm7.9 million followed by Japan with Lm6.4 million and China with Lm4.5 million.
Figures indicate imports of Lm22.1 million from North and Central American countries and Lm11.6 million from other European Countries.
Total dispatches to the European Union for the period January-February 2006 amounted to Lm65.6 million, representing 49.5 per cent of total exports. France, Germany and the United Kingdom with Lm20.2 million, Lm16.6 million and Lm13.9 million respectively were the three main trading partners within the European Union. Exports to Asia stood at Lm35.6 million, or 26.9 per cent, while those to North and Central America reached Lm22.4 million, accounting to 16.9 per cent.