Russian imports from non-CIS plummet 38% in 10M – Customs Service

MOSCOW. Nov 9 (Interfax) – Russia’s merchandise imports from outside the CIS plunged 37.9% year-on-year in January-October 2015 to $132.84 billion, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) said, citing preliminary data.

In October alone, imports from non-CIS countries totaled $14.375 billion, down 35.9% year-on-year.

Imports declined 36.5% in October 2015 year-on-year for food goods and raw materials for their production to $1.851 billion, those of machinery and equipment fell 36.4% to $7.185 billion, textile goods and footwear were down 34.4% to $700.9 million and 29.9% for chemical industry products to $2.748 billion.

Imports of fish dropped 62%, meat and byproducts – down 52%, dairy products – down 52%, cereals fell 47%, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages – down 44%, sugar – down 36.4%, vegetables – down 32.3%, vegetable oil – down 32.1%, fruit – down 24.0% and tobacco – down 11.4%.

Among chemical goods, imports of pharmaceutical products fell 36.7%, soap and detergents – down 31.5%, perfumery and cosmetics – down 29.8%, polymers and rubbers – down 28.2%, and organic and inorganic chemical products – down 24.7%.

For textile goods and footwear, imports declined 55% for knit fabric, 47% for chemical fiber, 40.4% for textile material, 38.1% for finished textile products, 34.1% for footwear, 33.1% for textile clothing, 29.7% for knitted garments, 22.1% for synthetic thread and 9.6% for cotton.

Imports of machine-building products also fell by 86% for aircraft and aircraft parts, 62% for rail locomotive parts and equipment, 44% for overland transport, 41.5% for optical instruments and tools, 31.5% for electrical equipment and 31.4% for mechanical equipment. Meanwhile imports of ships and other vessels rose 3.2-fold.