External Trade Bulletin

The April 2003 External Trade Bulletin released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica reveals that imports for the first four months of 2003 were valued at US$1,245.8 million, while export earnings amounted to US$393.5 million. When compared to the corresponding period of 2002, both imports and exports showed increases of 14.8 and 1.6 respectively. The balance of visible trade stood at US$852.3 million in the 2003 period under review, moving from US$698.1 million.
The value of imports by major end – use category shows ‘Consumer Goods’ inceased by 6.5 percent and “Raw Materials/Intermediate Goods” grew by 26.2 percent while “Capital Goods” decline by 3.0 percent.
Earnings from Traditional Domestic Export increased by 3.2 percent to US$316.0 million above the comparable period of 2002. Non-traditional exports fell by 6.9 percent to US$69.9 million.
Imports from CARICOM for the period January – April 2003 were valued at US$169.6 million, a 36.8 percent increase in expenditure, relative to the 2002 period. Total exports also increased by 10.0 percent to US$15.8 million, largely influenced by the growth in ‘Food’ which moved from US$6.2 million in 2002 to US$7.3 million in the 2003 period under review.
The external Trade Bulletin January – April 2002 further outlines additional information and may be obtained at our Distribution Centre 7 cecelio Avenue Kiongston 10.