The main developments in Cyprus Foreign Trade during January-May 1999 as compared with January-May 1998 were:

(a) Total imports (covering imports for home consumption and imports placed into bonded warehouses) totalled £746,3 mn as compared with £783,2 mn in January-May 1998. Total exports fell to £202,6 mn in relation to £261,8 mn in January-May 1998. The trade deficit accounted for £543,6 mn compared to £521,4 mn in January-May 1998.

(b) Imports for home consumption were £621,8 mn in January-May 1999 and £636,7 mn in January-May 1998. Intermediate inputs imported for home consumption valued at £236,7 mn or 38,1% followed by consumer goods with £187,9 mn or 30,2%, capital goods with £78,4 mn or 12,6% in January-May 1998 and transport equipment with £76,5 mn or 12,3%.

(c) Domestic exports fell to £91,8 mn as compared with £101,7 mn in January-May 1998 whilst re-exports were reduced considerably to £110,9 mn compared to £160,1 mn in January-May 1998. Industrial products of domestic produce exported during the first five months of 1999 accounted for £63,9 or 71,4% as compared with £70,9 mn or 71,2% during the corresponding period of 1998, with pharmaceutical products accounting for £9,9 mn compared to £8,1 mn in January-May 1998, clothing £9,0 mn as against £11,0 mn, cigarettes £5,6 mn compared to £5,4 mn alcoholic beverages £2,9 mn as compared with £3,1 mn, cement £2,7 mn compared to £2,9 mn and footwear £2,2 mn as against £4,2 mn. Exports of raw agricultural products in January-May 1999 valued at £24,8 mn and £28,3 mn for January-May 1998, with potatoes accounting for £10,9 mn compared to £4,4 mn and citrus fruit for £10,9 mn in January-May 1999 compared to £10,7 mn in January-May 1998.

(d) During January-May 1999 the EU countries supplied Cyprus with goods valued at £419,1mn or 56,2%. During the same period the EU countries absorbed 56,4% or £50,5 mn of Cyprus domestic exports followed by the Arab countries with 22,8% or £20,4mn.

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.