Israel Tax Authority: Imports of consumer durables down

Imports of washing machine fell 27%, dishwasher imports fell 28%, clothes dryer imports fell 53%, and imports of VCRs and DVDs fell 17%
 
The Israel Tax Authority reported last week that in July 2008 there was a decline in imports of durable goods, except for televisions, compared with July 2007. The Tax authority noted that the drop was the first drop since the beginning of 2008.
 
Imports of refrigerators fell 5.9%, washing machine imports fell 27%, dishwasher imports fell 28%, clothes dryer imports fell 53%, and imports of VCRs and DVDs fell 17%.
 
However, imports of televisions were 16.6% higher in July compared with the corresponding month of last year.
 
The Israel Tax Authority also reported that despite the decline in imports of appliances in quantitative terms, their imports in July, in value terms, totaled US$5.5 billion, 22% more than in the corresponding July last year.
 
In a statement issued by the Authority it was noted that the decline in imports in durable goods in July, can only partly be attributed to the economic slowdown.