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

Total imports (covering imports for home consumption and imports placed into bonded warehouses) totalled £1.559,0 mn as compared with £1.565,6 mn in January-October 1998. Total exports fell to £448,9 mn in relation to £475,5 mn in January-October 1998. The trade deficit accounted for £1.110,1 mn compared to £1.090,0 mn in January-October 1998.

Imports for home consumption were £1.278,8 mn in January-October 1999 and £1.291,9 mn in January-October 1998. Intermediate inputs imported for home consumption valued at £470,7 mn or 36,8% followed by consumer goods with £387,0 mn or 30,3%, capital goods with £155,2 mn or 12,1% in January-October 1999 and transport equipment with £151,0 mn or 11,8%.

Domestic exports fell to £173,0 mn as compared with £188,3 mn in January-October 1998 whilst re-exports were reduced to £275,8 mn compared to £287,2 mn in January-October 1998. Industrial products of domestic produce exported during January-October 1999 accounted for £133,1mn or 80,1% as compared with £142,1 mn or 78,6% during the corresponding period of 1998, with pharmaceutical products accounting for £19,6 mn compared to £16,5 mn in January-October 1998, clothing £19,1 mn as against £24,8 mn, cigarettes £11,1 mn compared to £10,4 mn alcoholic beverages £6,8 mn as compared with £6,6 mn, cement amounted to £5,7 mn in both periods and footwear £5,5 mn as against £7,4 mn in January-October 1998. Exports of raw agricultural products in January-October 1999 valued at £31,4 mn compared to £37,5 mn in January-October 1998, with potatoes accounting for £12,8 mn in relation to £18,8 mn and citrus fruit for £11,3 mn in January-October 1999 compared to £11,0 mn in January-October 1998.

During January-October 1999 the EU countries supplied Cyprus with goods valued at £838,5 mn or 53,8%. During the same period the EU countries absorbed 53,5% or £88,8 mn of Cyprus domestic exports followed by the Arab countries with 24,8% or £41,1 mn.

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.