The Department of Commerce has Issued a report on Israel’s foreign trade during 1951 which indicates that Israel exported more goods than in the preceding year.
The report is based on Israel Finance Ministry figures and shows total imports of 122.6 million Israel pounds and exports of 16.7 million Israel pounds, representing a 19.5 percent gain in imports and a 27 percent gain in exports over 1950. Exports constituted 13.6 percent of imports by value, compared with 12.8 percent in 1950.
“It appears that the increase in import value in 1951 was due exclusively to price increases and that the physical volume of imports was one percent lower than in 1950,” the report says. “Israel’s population increased through immigration in 1951 by almost 15 percent.
“This greatest decline in volume of imports was registered by manufactured articles. Food imports were slightly lower in volume, whereas imports of raw materials increased 25 percent, largely because crude petroleum was imported instead of refined products and more lumber was imported,” the report states.
The United States continued to be the most important supplier, but its share declined from 36.7 percent of total imports in 1950 to 31.8 percent in 1951, while imports from Britain increased from 8.8 percent to 10 percent. Imports from France. Belgium, Switzerland, and Finland continued to rise. Imports from Eastern European countries declined further. Of these, Czechoslovakia was the only one to show an increase over 1950.
“Composition of exports showed significant changes,” the report pointed out. “Value of citrus fruit exports remained slightly below that of 1950, but a 60 percent increase occurred in value of industrial products shipped. Largely responsible for this increase were diamonds, fruit juices, and fashion goods, followed by motor cars, now assembled in Israel, and drugs and medicines. Exports of chocolate and sweets and of artificial teeth were lower than in 1950.
“Distribution of exports by countries remained generally unchanged. Great Britain topped the list, followed by the United States in second place. Finland replaced Denmark as third in rank, and trade with Belgium. The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria increased in importance.”
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