NEWS RELEASE
EXTERNAL TRADE BULLETIN
February 2007

May 25, 2007

The February 2007 External Trade Bulletin released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica reveals that Jamaica's expenditure on imports of goods during the first month of the year amounted to US$972.0 million. This represented an increase of US$40.0 million or 4.3 per cent when compared to the same period of 2006.

Total exports for the two month period were valued at US$347.2 million, growing by US$ 49.8 million or 16.7 per cent. At the end of February, the trade deficit stood at US$624.8 million, compared to the US$634.6 million recorded for the comparable 2006

period.

Import of the commodity group "Mineral Fuels" was valued at US$262.3 million, "Machinery and Transport Equipment" US$195.9, "Chemicals" US$123.1, "Food" US$120.2 million, "Manufactured Goods" US$115.2 million. Together these commodities accounted for 84.0 per cent of Jamaica's import bill.

Domestic Exports at the end of February 2007 stood at US$340.7 million or 17.2 per cent above the comparable of 2006. Re-exports for the period amounted to US$6.6 million of which "Machinery and Transport Equipment" accounting for US$3.9 million.

Traditional domestic export grew by US$11.1 million or 5.2 per cent to US$224.8 million. Exports of non-traditional items were valued at US$115.8 million, growing by US$38.8 million or 50.4 per cent over the comparable period 2006.

The February 2007 External Trade Bulletin outlines additional information and may be obtained at our Distribution Office, Cecelio Avenue Kingston 10