The Department of Statistics and Research announces that it prepared foreign trade statistics in summary form for the year 1997.

The main developments in Cyprus foreign trade during 1997 as compared with 1996 were:

(a) Total imports (covering imports for home consumption and imports placed into bonded warehouses) totalled £1.899.3 mn as compared with £1.857.5 mn in 1996,

(b) Total exports were £640,0 mn in relation to £649,0 mn in 1996,

(c) As a result of the above developments the trade deficit increased to £1.259,3 mn compared to £1.208,5 mn in 1996,

(d) Imports for home consumption were £1.482,5 mn in 1997 and £1.465,2 mn in 1996.

(e) The EU countries supplied Cyprus with goods valued at £903,2 mn or 47,6% of the total imports as compared with £902,2 mn or 48,6% during 1996.

(f) Intermediate inputs imported for home consumption during 1997 were £568,7 mn or 38,4% as against £584,9 mn or 39,9% in 1996, followed by consumer goods with £368,5 mn or 24,9% as against £320,7 mn or 21,9%; capital goods accounted for £162,4 mn or 11,0% as compared with £161,0 mn or 11.0% in 1996 and transport equipment amounted to £149,3 mn or 10,1% compared to £161,5 mn or 11,0%.

(g) Domestic exports including shipstores, fell to £219,8 mn in 1997 from £228,5 mn in 1996 whilst re-exports including shipstores, amounted to £420,3 mn compared to £420,6 mn 1996.

(h) The EU countries absorbed 49,4% or £105,5 mn of Cyprus domestic exports (excluding shipstores) as compared with £57,2 or £126,6 mn in 1996, followed by the Arab coutnries with a share of 28,8% or £61,5 mn as compared with 19,8% or £43,8 mn in 1996.

(i) Industrial products of domestic produce exported during 1997 (excluding shipstores) accounted for 82,6% or £176,3 mn as compared with 75,6% or £167,2 mn, during 1996, with clothing and footwear accounting for £29,9 mn and £8,0 mn respectively, whilst exports of clothing during 1996 totalled £37,5 mn and of footwear £5,3 mn, Exports of raw agricultural products dropped sharply to £35,9 mn in 1997 from £53,3 mn in 1996, with potatoes accounting for £8,4 mn compared to £27,7mn and citrus fruit for £17,3 mn and £18,1 mn in 1997 and 1996 respectively.

Additional data on Cyprus foreign trade are shown in the quarterly publication entitled “Imports-Exports Statistics” obtainable from the Government Printing Office while more detailed statistics on the same field are available from the Department of Statistics and Research.