CBS: trade deficit in April 2011 totaled US$1.8 billion

According to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics import in april totaled US$5.8 billion and export totaled US$4.0
 
Data released at the end of last week by the Central Bureau of Statistics show that in April 2011, import of goods totaled US$5.8 billion, export of goods totaled US$4.0 billion and the trade deficit totaled US$1.8 billion.
 
According to press reports Israel's trade deficit in April was the highest on record. The Central Bureau of Statistics noted that there has not been a deficit of these proportions on the Central Bureau of Statistics archive, which starts in 1988.
 
The trend data calculated by the Central Bureau of Statistics, seasonally adjusted and adjusted for irregular elements, point to a rise in export of goods (excluding diamonds) of 28.0% and import of goods (excluding ships, aircraft, diamonds and fuels) point to a rise of 25.8%, at an annual rate, during February-April 2011.
 
Import of goods, in current prices in U.S. dollars, totaled US$5.8B. A breakdown of the data of import by use indicates that in April 2011, 34% of total imports were import of raw materials (excluding diamonds and fuels); 14% was machinery, equipment and land vehicles for investment; 14% was consumer goods; and the rest diamonds, fuels, ships and aircraft.
 
Import of raw materials (excluding diamonds and fuels) in April 2011 totaled US$2.0B. Trend data reveals that in February-April 2011, import of raw materials point to a rise of 22.3% at an annual rate. A breakdown by groups of import of raw materials in the last three months, points to a rise of 56.3% in the import of rubber and plastic.
 
Import of consumer goods in April 2011 totaled US$0.8B. Import of non-durable goods rose, by an annual rate of 21.2% during the last three months. Most of the rise was recorded in import of Household utensils. Import of durable goods, point to a rise of 7.8% by an annual rate.
 
Import of diamonds (rough and polished) in January-April 2011 totaled US$3.1B. During the same months in 2010 the import of diamonds totaled $2.3B. Import of fuels (crude oil, distillates and coal) in January-April 2011 totaled US$4.4B a rise of 25.2% comparing to the same months of the previous year.
 
In April 2011, manufacturing exports (excluding diamonds) constituted 84% of all export of goods. Export of diamonds constituted 13%, and the remaining 3% was agricultural exports.
Distribution of manufacturing exports by technological intensity (excluding diamonds), indicates that exports of high technology industries (47% of total manufacture exports) totaled US$1.6B in April 2011. Trend data of exports by high technology industries points to a rise of 29.3%, at an annual rate. Breakdown by economic activity points to a rise of 64.3% in exports of pharmaceutical products.
 
Exports of medium-high technology industries (30% of total manufacture exports) totaled US$1.0B in April 2011. Trend data of exports by medium-high technology industries point to a rise of 38.3%, at an annual rate, in February-April 2011. Breakdown by economic activity points to a rise of 61.4% in exports of chemicals (excluding pharmaceutical products).
 
Exports by medium-low technology industries (17% of all manufacture exports) totaled US$0.5B in April 2010. Trend data of exports by medium-low technology industries point to a rise of 20.6%, at an annual rate, in the last three months. Breakdown by economic activity points to a rise of 22.3% in exports of rubber and plastic products.
 
Exports by low technology industries (5% of all manufacture exports) totaled US$0.2B in April 2011. Trend data of exports by low technology industries point to a rise of 20.1% at an annual rate, in February-April 2011. Breakdown by economic activity points to a rise of 25.1% in exports of wood, furniture, paper and printing products.
Export of diamonds (polished and rough) in January-April 2011totaled US$3.8B (US3.0B in January-April 2010).
 
Agricultural exports in January-April 2011 totaled US$630M (temporary data), lower by 6.7% compared with the same period in 2010. Exports of citrus dropped by 8.3%, at the same period.