Prices for imported goods were down by on average 8.6% in April this year as compared to April last year. The last such drop was registered in March 1987. In March and February 2009 the respective annual changes had been -7.1 % and -6.4 %. In comparison with March this year the import price index fell by 0.8 %. The export price index in April was down by 2.0% as compared to April last year and by 0.1% as compared to March 2009.
This drop in the import price index was mainly due to falling prices for imported energy which fell by 33.6 % on April last year and by 2.9 on March this year. Prices for crude oil dropped by 43.6 % over the past year and increased by 5.3% on March this year. For mineral oil products the respective import price changes were -44.8 % and +5.5 %. Without taking into account crude oil and mineral oil products the import price index fell by 3.4% as compared to April last year and by 1.3% on March this year.
Imports of natural gas became less expensive and fell by 13.3 % in the annual comparison and by 15.3% on March this year.
Non-ferrous metal ores became 32.0% less expensive as compared to April last year, but 7.8% more expensive on March this year. Import prices of iron ores changed by +28.7 % and -0.5 % respectively.
Import prices for non-ferrous metals and semifinished products thereof fell by 26.5% as compared to April last year, but increased by 2.1% on March. Raw copper prices fell by 37.6% and increased by 17.0% respectively. The changes in import prices of iron, steel and ferrous alloys were -28.9 % and -4.6 % respectively. For raw aluminum prices fell by 22.4% and 1.7% respectively.
Import price changes for corn amounted to -33.1 % and +0.5 % respectively. For milk and dairy products these fell by 12.9 % and 0.4 % respectively. 