According to Maldives Customs Service, total imports for this year’s April stood at MVR 4.7 billion, with MVR 292 million worth of exports.
Statistics from the authority revealed exports in March stood at MVR 204 million, which indicates a 43 percent increase in April.
While the total imports inclusive of fuel stood at MVR 4.7 billion, exports excluding fuel stood at MVR 3.8 billion. Total imports in April saw an increase of 6.8 percent compared to the month before.
Customs reported a revenue of MVR 379 million and another MVR 11 million in royalties for the review month. In March, revenues stood at MVR 350 million, which indicates an increase of MVR 88 million in April.
Major Importing Categories
Food items (excluding pork, alcohol, tobacco): MVR 1.02 billion
Fuel (marine gas oil (diesel), petrol, aviation gas): MVR 905 million
Machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical: MVR 718 million
Base metal and articles of base metal: MVR 352 million
Products of the chemical or allied industries: MVR 296 million
Major Importing Countries
United Arab Emirates (UAE): MVR 1.3 billion (28 percent)
India: MVR 735 million (16 percent)
China: MVR 472 million (10 percent)
Singapore: MVR 425 million (9 percent)
Malaysia: MVR 261 million (6 percent)
Major Exporting Countries
Thailand: MVR 186 million (64 percent)
Great Britain: MVR 43 million (15 percent)
Egypt: MVR 12 million (4 percent)
Vietnam: MVR 12 million (4 percent)
Switzerland: MVR 11 million (4 percent)
Major Export Commodities
Frozen skipjack tuna (stripe-bellied bonito) (katsuwonus pelamis): MVR 195 million
Skipjack tuna (prepared or preserved): MVR 69 million
Yellowfin tuna (frozen): MVR 6 million
Flours, meals and pellets of fish etc. (unfit for human consumption): MVR 6 million
Yellowfin tuna loins (fresh or chilled): MVR 3 million
With mounting state debt, the Maldives, which heavily relies on imports that result in increased state expenditures, have been taking measures to cut back on imports.