[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Discrepency in Burma's figures for (r)



Subject: Re: Discrepency in Burma's figures for trade with U.S.

  It is good somebody is watching the data and information.  Keep this as 
proof for future situations.

RP


In a message dated 9/16/99 2:50:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
douglas.steele@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<< 
 Re. Xinhua: Myanmar's bilateral trade with U.S. drops (September 14, 1999)
 
 The official Burmese trade statistics reported by Xinhua (see text of
 article below) are extraordinarily inaccurate.  According to the regime, US
 trade with Burma in fiscal year 1998-1999 (April 1998-March 1999) totalled
 $73.37 million, with $37.41 million in exports to the US and $35.96 million
 in imports from the US.  The regime is grossly underreporting its exports to
 the US and the actual figure is more than 400 per cent higher.  The reasons
 for the underreporting are probably a combination of the regime's worry that
 their exports could be an easy target for US sanctions (especially garments)
 and evasion of Burmese taxes by exporting companies.
 
 According to the US Department of Commerce, which keeps data on all US
 imports and exports, Burma exports to the US were $164 million in calendar
 year 1998.  From January through June of this year it has exported another
 $92 million in products to the US.  Burmese exports to the US have are
 growing at rate of 25.55 per cent so far this year.  In 1998, they were
 42.38 per cent higher than the year before.  Burmese exports to the US have
 been surging steadily since at least 1996.  Eighty five per cent of Burma's
 exports to the US are garments.
 
 The best source of information on Burma's bilateral trade with the US is the
 US Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration.  Their East
 Asia/Pacific bureau can be contacted at 202 482 3647.  The data to look for
 is the "US Annual General Imports from Burma" which is contained in the
 Census Bureau's World Trade Atlas.
 
 Here are the actual figures for Burma's imports to the US according to the
 US Department of Commerce:
 
 [Millions of US dollars]
                    1996   1997   1998   1999(Jan-June)
 Total              108    115    164    92
 %growth                          42.38  25.55
 
 By category
 Knit apparel       48.50  57.27  84.74  51.9
 Woven apparel      35.15  27.88  43.06  29.08
 Precious stones    1.90   4.88   10.58  4.76
  >>