PRESS RELEASE
EXTERNAL TRADE BULLETIN
January to April 2006

August 24, 2006

The January to April 2006 External Trade Bulletin released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica reveals that imports for the first four months of 2006 were valued at US$1,755.0 million. This represents an increase of 15.5 percent or US$235.5 when compared to the same period in 2005.Total exports earned US$633.1 million, an increase 24.0 percent or US$122.5 million over the comparable 2005 period. The trade deficit at the end of the review period, stood at US$1,121.9 million, US$113.1 million above the period in 2005.

The Major Commodity groups imported during January to April were "Minerals Fuels" which was valued at (US$584.0 million), Machinery and Transport Equipment', (US$337.0 million), "Chemicals" (US$ 205.8 million) "Food" (US$205.0 million) and "Manufactured Goods" (US$191.3 million),

Domestic Exports grew by 23.6 percent to US$ 619.5 million. Re-exports for the period amounted to US$ 13.6 million compared to the US$9.3 million earned during the same period of the previous year.

Earnings from traditional domestic exports earned at US$438.0 million, increasing by 3.4 percent.

Non-traditional domestic exports grew by US$103.9 million to US$181.5 million.

The External Trade Bulletin for February 2006 further outlines additional information and may be obtained at our distribution centre located at 7 Cecelio Avenue Kingston 10.