Import Price Index, Quarter 1 2011

Press Release No: 42

Date: 30 June 2011

The Import Price Index (MPI) measures changes in the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) prices of imports of merchandise into Fiji. It is a fixed weights index with Quarter 3 2008 = 100.0 and is calculated on a quarterly basis using the International Harmonised System of Trade Classification (HS). The items included in the index were selected on the basis of their importance to the total import.

The index represents 95 per cent of merchandise imports. Those items that are not directly represented are indirectly represented by directly priced imports whose prices are considered to move similarly. Approximately 5 per cent of all merchandise imports is neither directly nor indirectly represented because of the difficulties in pricing the items to a constant quality or the little influence they have in terms of their importance in the total value of imports.

The overall MPI for Quarter 1 2011 stands at 131.1, an increase of 0.3 per cent over Quarter 4, 2010 (130.7) and 4.7 per cent over Quarter 1 2010 (125.2).

HS Section 1: Live Animals; Animal Products: +1.5%
Import prices of lamb increased.

HS Section 2: Vegetable Products: +1.1%
Import prices of coffee, tea and cereals increased.

HS Section 3: Animal or Vegetable fats & oils and their cleavage products, prepared edible fats, animal or vegetable waxes: -2.8%
Import prices of soya bean oil and margarine decreased.

HS Section 4: Prepared foodstuffs, beverages, spirits and vinegar, tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes: +1.8%
Import prices of sugar, fruit juice, miscellaneous edible preparations and tobacco increased.

HS Section 5: Mineral Products: +16.1%
Import price of mineral fuels and mineral oils increased.

HS Section 6: Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries: -0.3%
Import prices of fertilizers decreased.

HS Section 7: Plastics and articles thereof, rubber and articles thereof: +1.5%
Import prices of plastics and rubber and articles thereof increased.

HS Section 9: Wood and articles of wood, wood charcoal cork and articles of cork, manufacturers of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials, basketware and wickerwork: +1.1%
Import prices of fiberboards increased.

HS Section 10: Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material and scrap paper or paperboard, paper and paperboard and articles thereof: +2.3%
Import prices of uncoated paper, paperboard and envelopes increased.

HS Section 11: Textiles and Textiles Articles: -5.0%
Import prices of articles of apparel and clothing accessories and fabrics made-up of man-made staple fibers decreased.

HS Section 12: Footwear, Headgear, Umbrellas, Sun-umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat sticks, whips, riding crops and parts thereof, prepared feathers and articles made therewith artificial flowers, articles of human hair: -5.1%
Import price of sandals and slippers decreased..

HS Section 14: Natural or Cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof, imitation jewelry, coin: -1.5%
Import prices of gold jewellery decreased.

HS Section 15: Base metals and articles of base metal: +1.9%
Import prices of aluminium and articles of iron or steel increased.

HS Section 16: Machinery and Mechanical appliances, electrical equipment and parts thereof, sound recorders, reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles: -1.3%
Import prices of ceiling fans, air conditioning machines and printing machinery decreased.

HS Section 17: Vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment: -0.8%
Import prices of jet skis and floating structures decreased.

If you want more detailed information on the Import Price Index for Quarter 1 2011, please contact the Fiji Bureau of Statistics at:

P.O.Box 2221
Government Buildings
Suva, FIJI
Tel: (679) 331 5822
Fax: (679) 330 3656

OR

On email: info@statsfiji.gov.fj

OR

For further enquiries, please contact Mr. Avinesh Mani or Uma Reddy on 3315 822 ext 113.

MPI for Quarter 2 2011 will be released on 30th September 2011.