Introduction
1. General
This publication presents the results of the Imports Destinations Survey for 2006. The
survey was conducted by the Foreign Trade sector and is intended to classify the
imports of commodities by use: For consumption (by households, non-profit
institutions or the government), as production inputs and for capital formation –
classified by the economic industries of the importers. The resulting classification is
used as the basis for the yearly and monthly imports of commodities time series
published regularly by the Central Bureau of Statistics. In addition, the results of the
Import Destinations Survey for 2006 will be used in the preparation of input-output
tables for the year 2006, which will be published in the future by the Bureau, and in
the preparation of several of the national accounts time series published regularly.
The Import Destinations survey for 2006 is the latest in a series of similar surveys
conducted for selected years by the Bureau since 1965. The results of the surveys
which were prepared for 1965 and 1972 were not published separately; rather they
served as the basis for classifying imports according to various uses and for preparing
input-output tables and national accounts.
Structure of the publication
This publication contains five introductory tables and five main tables that contain
detailed data on production inputs and capital formation commodities, classified
according to economic industry: The economic industry of the user (industry of
destination) and the economic industry abroad supplying the goods (industry of
origin). The introductory tables contain summarized information on the industries of
use and origin of imports, and summarized information regarding the importers
population in 2006 by importer type and imports value categories. The detailed tables
contain data by industry of origin and industry of destination detailed at the division
level (2 digits).
2. Main findings
2.1 Value of Imports
In 2006 total imports of commodities (c.i.f.) amounted to $47,840 million, compared
with $12,950 million in the previous survey year (1988). In the tables presented below
the results of the current year survey were compared with those of the previous
surveys.
2.11 Imports, by Use
In table A, comparative data are presented of the results according to the main
destinations of the imports. The data in this table show that in 2006 the portion of
consumption of total imports (excluding ships, aircraft, diamonds and fuels) decreased
to 13.1%, compared with 18.7% in 1988. The portion of capital formation
commodities of total imports (excluding ships, aircraft, diamonds and fuels) decreased
to 12.0%, compared to 20.6% in 1988. The decrease in the portion of consumption
and capital formation commodities was balanced by an increase in the portion of
production inputs.
Table A - Imports, by Use
Percentages
Grand Total (excluding ships, aircraft, diamonds
and fuels)
Total imports for consumption
Total production inputs
Total imports for capital formation
1982/83
(1)
1988
2006
100.0
20.2
60.6
19.2
100.0
18.7
60.7
20.6
100.0
13.1
74.9
12.0
(1) Fiscal year beginning in April.
2.12 Imports, by Main industry of Destination
In table B, comparisons were made of the import of inputs form production and the
imports of commodities for capital formation. It should be noted that since 1993 the
industries are classified according to the "Standard Industrial Classification of All
Economic Activities 1993"1 from the data presented in the table, it is clear that the
industrial industries were the main destination of the import of inputs (74.8%) and of
commodities for capital formation (36.8%). About a quarter of overall imports of
commodities for capital formation in 2006 reached the "Real Estate, Renting and
Business Activities" main industry, influenced mainly by industry 710 – "Renting of
Transport Equipment". This value reflects the major influence of the purchase of
imported cars by leasing companies on the imports by uses data.
1
Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities 1993, second edition, Central Bureau of
Statistics. Technical publication number 63, Jerusalem, 2003.
Table B - Production Inputs and Commodities for Capital Formation, by Main industry of
Destination
Percentages
Total
Industry
Agriculture
Electricity
Water
Building
Trade
Other
industries
Thereof: real
estate, renting
and business
activities
Production inputs
1982/3
1988
100.0
100.0
86.0
82.7
1.4
1.0
0.9
1.0
0.1
0.1
2.8
2.7
0.2
0.4
Commodities for Capital
Formation
1982/3
1988
2006
100.0
100.0
100.0
47.0
43.6
36.8
6.9
1.3
2.3
1.9
4.0
2.1
0.6
0.3
0.2
5.9
3.6
4.4
1.2
0.8
4.7
2006
100.0
74.8
1.7
0.5
0.1
4.5
3.8
8.6
12.1
14.6
36.5
46.4
49.4
:
:
4.2
:
:
24.1
: symbolizes missing data
2.13 Imports, by Main industry of Origin
In table C a comparison is made between the portions of the industries of origin
abroad in the imports of goods to Israel. The table's data show that the weight of
imports originating in the agricultural industries is 3.3%. Among the industrial
industries, goods originating in the chemicals, metal, machinery and electronics
industries accounted for about 57%, compared to about 50% in 1988. Goods from the
chemicals, rubber and plastics industries were about 20%, compared to about 17% in
1988.
Table C - Imports, by Main industry of Origin
Percentages
Main industry of Origin
Grand Total (excluding ships, aircraft, diamonds
and fuels)
Agriculture
Industry
Mining and quarrying
Food, beverage and tobacco industries
Manufacture of clothing and made-up textiles
Leather and leather products
Manufacture of wood and wood products
Manufacture of paper and paper products
Manufacture of rubber and plastic products
Manufacture of chemicals
Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products
Manufacture of metal products
Manufacture of machinery
Manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment
Other industrial products
1977/8
1982/3
1988
2006
100.0
13.5
85.7
0.6
6.5
4.1
0.9
2.3
3.3
1.9
11.8
2.7
15.7
12.6
7.1
17.0
100.0
9.9
89.7
1.3
7.4
4.8
0.8
2.1
2.7
2.2
9.8
1.8
13.8
11.5
14.5
17.4
100.0
7.0
93.0
1.2
6.8
4.8
0.8
1.5
3.6
3.0
13.6
2.2
11.9
10.7
13.6
19.3
100.0
3.3
96.7
0.4
5.1
4.7
1.1
1.2
2.8
2.6
17.5
1.8
10.1
14.8
14.9
19.7
Imports originating in the food, beverage and tobacco industries constituted about
5.1% of overall imports. The textiles, clothing and leather industries accounted for
4.7%.
2.2 The Importers
The findings of the current survey also reveal an increase in the number of importers
and a rise in the level of concentration of the imports of commodities to Israel. The
data in table D show that in 2006 there were about 62 thousand importers in
operation, compared with about 35 thousand importers in the previous survey (1988( an increase of about 77%. About one percent of importers imported more than 72%
of total imports. More than 70% of the importers imported about 0.5% of total
imports. 579 importers imported more that $12 million in 2006. The data presented in
table E shows that about 35% of the importers imported for personal use (direct
imports) and their imports totaled about 63% of the total value of imports.
Table D - Importers, by Import Size Group
Importers
Value of imports
Number
61,874
%
100.0
Accumulated
percentage
100.0
$ million
47,840.7
%
100.0
Accumulated
percentage
100.0
$1-$24
thousand
43,911
71.0
71.0
244.9
0.5
0.5
$24-$240
thousand
10,340
16.7
87.7
862.4
1.8
2.3
$240$1,200
thousand
4,426
7.2
94.8
2,462.8
5.1
7.5
$1,200$2,400
thousand
1,096
1.8
96.6
1,846.1
3.9
11.3
$2,400$12,000
thousand
1,504
2.4
99.0
7,889.4
16.5
27.8
597
1.0
100.0
34,535.1
72.2
100.0
Total
More than
$12,000
thousand
table E - Importers and imports, by Type of Importer
Total
Direct importers
Indirect importers
Importers
Number
61874
21728
40146
%
100
35.1
64.9
Value of imports
$ million
%
47840.7
100
17815.9
37.2
30024.7
62.8
3. Definitions and explanations
3.1 Survey objective
The objective of the Uses of Imports 2006 survey is to classify imported goods by
use: personal consumption, fixed domestic capital formation and inputs for production
in the various industries of the economy. This classifying of the goods is used in
foreign trade publications and enabled the preparation of detailed input-output tables
for 2006.
3.2 Survey population and investigation unit
The estimates in this publication are based on data collected using three different
processes. Direct importers were surveyed using an abbreviated questionnaire
attached to the questionnaire of the Survey of Products and Materials in
Manufacturing 2006. Commodities imported by indirect importers (those that were
not included in the population of the Products and Materials in Manufacturing 2006
survey) were surveyed using a dedicated sample. The third process comprises the
investigation of commodities using data received from the customs office coupled
with data from other administrative sources.
As stated, the importers list was divided in two groups:
A. Direct importers – Are those who import commodities as inputs for production
or for capital formation. The industry of destination of the commodities
imported by direct importers, who, as mentioned, are manufacturers, was
determined by the industry of the importer-manufacturer, according to the
classification in the Business Register of the Central Bureau of Statistics.
B. Indirect importers – Includes importers who engage in trade. Determining the
industry of destination of the importer of goods in this framework was done
through questionnaires and a direct approach via telephone, fax and, in some
cases, a personal interview with the importers. These importers were asked
who the customers who purchased the commodities were. Each importer was
presented with a list of the commodities which he imported during the survey
year.
Investigation unit
The investigation unit in the Imports Destinations Survey for 2006 is the commodity.
As the commodities are freed by the Customs, they are entered in a Customs entry
form that contains data such as the value of the commodities, the importer, country of
purchase, country of origin and more.
In the survey questionnaire, the unit of investigation (commodity) was presented in a
consolidated form, after the value of all entry forms from an importer containing a
specific commodity was summed up, even if the commodity was imported at different
times during 2006.
The sampling population of indirect importers included all the indirect importers
active in 2006. A specific commodity (6 positions) was included only if the total value
of its imports exceeded $50,000 in 2006. All commodities investigated using
administrative sources were excluded from the sampling population. The final
sampling population included 21,112 importers, including 100 importers sampled in
the pre-test phase of the survey. The sampling unit was the importer and every
importer provided data regarding all the commodities imported by him. The final
sample of the survey was comprised of 1,100 importers sampled using the probability
proportional to size (PPS) sampling technique. The size for every importer was
calculated based on the total value of imports of the different commodities
(representing the importance of the commodity), the value of each commodity
imported by each importer and the representation of the commodities in the Products
and Materials in Manufacturing 2006 survey.
The sample included 476 pre-defined importers (including the 100 importers in the
pre-test) and 624 probability sampled importers. From the sampled importers, 1,078
(98%) answered. One importer refused to answer, 8 were not found and 13 liquidated
their business since the survey year. The non-response percentages were 0.09%,
0.73% and 1.18%, respectively.
3.3 Definitions and explanations
Industry of origin is the characteristic industry producing the particular commodities
which is listed in the customs tariff. The industry is classified according to the
"Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities 1993". No reference is
made to industries in which the goods are actually produced.
Industry of destination is the economic industry, based on the "Standard Industrial
Classification of All Economic Activities 1993", according to which the direct
importer or buyer of the imported goods is classified. This classification is also used
in the input-output tables with a number of deviations (the list of industries in the
input-output tables will be published at a future date)2.
Type of use: intended for classifying the goods imported for main economic
destinations and for other uses (not economic). The uses are as follows:
-
Private consumption
Capital formation, by economic industry
Production inputs, by economic industry
Value of c.i.f imports is the value of import of goods, freightage and insurance, and
imputation of wharfage and porterage expenses at Israeli ports (value for customs
purposes).
Stages in processing the survey
2
Inconsistences may occur between the data presented in this publication and the data presented in the
Input-output tables 2006 due to corrections and updates added after the completion of the survey.
1. Check of completeness of material received from the customs authority and
adjustment of the material to data published by the Bureau.
2. Preparation of the existing complementary information at the Bureau on the
subject of classifications.
a. Updating the index of the economic destination of the imported
commodities, as it appears in the Bureau's Foreign Trade sector.
b. Determining the industry of origin of the imported goods according to
the foreign trade index and adjustment for input-output purposes.
c. Classification of the direct importers according to the Business
Register of the Input-Output sector.
3. Preparation of processing and investigation lists:
List a: Small commodities – the value of whose annual imports is less that
$50,000
List b: List of direct importers
List c: Commodities for investigation using data from administrative sources –
transportation vehicles, diamonds, ships, aircraft and energy.
List d: Indirect importers for investigation.
4. Producing questionnaires to be filled out by those being investigated or by
enumerators.
5. Enumerator interview – by visits to the company or by telephone
conversations and fax communication.
6. Checking the field data and entering them into the computer.
7. Logical check of the data.
8. Updating the index of the economic destination of the imported commodities
to include the uses of commodities that were previously defined as having a
single use and are now defined as having multiple uses.
9. Preparation of statistical tables for the imports in various levels and
classifications:
Table 1 – Imports, by industry of destination.
Table 2 – Imports, by industry of origin.
Table 3 – Imports, by industry of destination in industry of origin.
Table 4 – Imports, by industry of origin in industry of destination.
3.4 Limitations of the survey and reliability of the data
The main limitations in collecting the data stemmed from a number of reasons:
a. Importers whose address was not located or importers who had liquidated their
business since the survey year. For the goods imported by these importers, the
characteristic industry of destination was determined according to similar cases
which were examined in the field.
b. The sample used in the survey included 98% of the value imported by indirect
importers. Even so, several commodities were not included in the sample. In such
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
cases, the characteristic industry of destination was determined according to
similar cases which were examined in the field.
At times, the use of machinery and machinery parts was not clearly specified. In
those cases, the machinery should be considered as a capital formation commodity
if the importer uses it for production and as inputs for production if the machinery
or parts thereof are used as parts in a bigger system sold by the importer.
Wholesale importers who sold to retailers or other wholesale importers and did
not know to report details about the final destination of the goods. In such cases,
the characteristic industry of destination was determined according to similar
cases which were examined in the field.
The data which were received from Customs were in some instances, incomplete
and it was necessary to correct them. An effort was made to include updates and
corrections which accumulated since receiving the data from customs and up to
the close of the survey.
In some cases the information about the division by industry was an importer's
assessment which was not based on his bookkeeping.
The industry of the importer in the Business Register represents the industry were
most of the economic activity of the business is conducted. At times, an importer
is active in more than one industry. In such cases, the importer's industry may not
represent the real use of all the commodities imported by him.
Special Symbols
:
=
unknown or not for publication
:
=
a value which is less than half the unit in which data are
presented or no cases
n.e.c
=
not elsewhere classified
n.s
=
not specified
NIS
=
new Israeli sheqels
Blank space
=
irrelevant as a result of the table's structure