EXPORTS IMPROVE BY 39.6 PERCENT IN APRIL

Revenue earned from the merchandise exports posted a 39.6 percent upswing as April 1997 receipts reached $2.082 billion, surpassing $1.492 billion in 1996 by $590.50 million. Compared to the previous month, exports gained by 4.1 percent from $2.001 billion.

Value of exports from January to April grew by 22.8 percent to $7.588 billion which was an increase of $1.411 billion from $6.177 billion a year earlier.

ELECTRONICS AND COMPONENTS TOP EARNER FOR APRIL

Dollar receipts from Electronics and Components, accounting for 43.9 percent of the total, rose by 48.0 percent to $913.44 million from $617.34 million last year. The biggest market for electronics exports was the United States which was the destination of one-third of the shipments.

The second biggest earner with an 8.0 percent share was Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories which had an aggregate income of $166.57 million or 6.1 percent higher than $156.98 million last year.

Receipts from Input/Output/Peripheral Units, representing 6.3 percent of the total, increased by 908.9 percent to $131.26 million from $13.01 million last year.

Coconut Oil went up to number four position from sixth last month despite a 32.9 percent annual drop in earnings settling at $44.53 million from $66.34 million in 1996.

At number five was Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships with reported receipts valued at $40.80 million representing a 44.9 percent growth from $28.15 million last year.

Woodcraft and Furniture reported shipments valued at $37.70 million which was a 22.1 percent increase over the year-ago level of $30.88 million.

Other major exports for the month were: Gold, $36.59 million; Petroleum Products, $31.39 million; Metal Components, $25.85 million; and Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis, $25.30 million.

The top ten merchandise exports for April 1997 reported a combined revenue amounting to $1,453.43 million or 69.8 percent of the total.

MANUFACTURED GOODS ACCOUNT FOR 83.2 PERCENT

Accounting for 83.2 percent of the total exports revenue were Manufactured Goods which brought in $1.732 billion, an increase of 42.7 percent from $1.214 billion in 1996.

Agro-Based Products earned $118.77 million from $123.08 million last year, slipping by 3.5 percent. Other agro-based products also declined from $49,272 million in March to $40,146 million in April.

US SHARE OF EXPORTS AT 34.2 PERCENT

The United States with purchases accounting for 34.2 percent of the total, bought $713.15 million worth of local merchandise, up by 45.4 percent from $490.48 million last year.

Purchases made by Japan, still the second biggest market with a 15.7 percent share, amounted to $326.53 million, an increase of 40.7 percent over $232.07 million last year.

Singapore, accounting for 8.0 percent of the total, bought $166.82 million worth of merchandise exports, 76.0 percent higher than $94.81 million last year.

Netherlands, the fourth biggest client with total exports valued at $141.30 million had an increase of 157.4 percent over $54.89 million in 1996. This value represented 6.8 percent of merchandise exports.

Rounding up the list of the top ten markets for April were: Thailand, $106.56 million; Germany, $93.36 million; Hongkong, $91.01 million; Taiwan, $79.93 million; United Kingdom of Great Britain, $65.64 million; and Malaysia, $55.29 million.

Aggregate receipts from these top ten markets amounted to $1,839.60 million or 88.3 percent of the total.