Date:13/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/01/13/stories/2005011303540300.htm

Back Exports up 23.41 pcin April-December

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Jan 12

INDIA'S merchandise goods exports has registered a 23.41 per cent increase in dollar terms during the first three quarters of the current fiscal (April-Dec 2004) to touch $53.50 billion as against $43.35 billion recorded in the same period in the previous year.

In rupee terms, exports registered an increase of 21.25 per cent at Rs 2,42,434 crore for the period Apr-Dec 2004. Trade deficit in the first nine months of the current fiscal surged to $20.15 billion, which is higher than the deficit of $11.76 billion during April-December 2003.

Exports during December 2004 stood at $6.81 billion, which is about 14.64 per cent higher than the export performance of $5.94 billion during December 2003. In rupee terms, exports during December 2004 stood at Rs 29,933.64 crore, which is 10.54 per cent higher than the export performance of December 2003.

On the other hand, imports during April-December 2004 surged by 33.64 per cent in dollar terms at $73.65 billion as compared to import level of $55.11 billion in the same period in the previous year.

Oil imports during the first nine months of the current fiscal stood at $21.52 billion, which is about 46.20 per cent higher than the oil imports of $14.72 billion during April-December 2003.

Non-oil imports during April-December 2004-05 stood at $52.14 billion, which is 29.09 per cent higher than the level of $40.39 billion in the same period during the previous year.

Imports of the country during December 2004 stood at $9.42 billion ($7.32 billion in December 2003).