The Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) has published the Import Price Index (IMPI) in the first quarter of 2019 (Q1 2019).

The total import price index in Kosovo decreased by (-0.4%) in Q1 2019 compared to Q4 2018. The biggest drop in prices by sectors was: machinery equipment and electrical equipment (-6.1%); textiles and articles thereof (-2.7%); paper and articles thereof (-0.8%); nutritional oils (-0.5%); leather and articles thereof (-0.5%); means of transport (-0.4%); live animals and animal products (-0.4%); base metals and articles thereof (-0.3%); and plastics, rubber and articles thereof (-0.2%).

The decrease was counteracted mainly by the increase in prices by sectors of: plant products (3.3%); mineral products (2.3%); footwear (1.5%); various manufactured articles (0.7%); wood and articles thereof (0.4%); prepared foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco (0.2%); chemical industry products (0.1%); and optical, photographic, measuring, medical and musical instruments as well as clock mechanisms (0.1%).

Meanwhile, compared the Q1 2019 with Q1 2018, import prices increased to an average of 3.5%. The largest increases by sectors were: mineral products (21.7%); leather and articles thereof (19.9%); live animals and animal products (9.3%); optical, photographic, measuring, medical and musical instruments as well as clock mechanisms (7.9%); footwear (5.0%); wood and articles thereof (4.8%); plastics, rubbers and articles thereof (4.2%); various manufactured articles (3.5%); chemical industry products (2.8%); articles of stone, mortar, ceramic and glass products (2.1%); papers and articles thereof (1.6%); means of transport (1.3%); and prepared foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco (0.6%).

The increase was counteracted mainly by the decrease in prices by sectors of: textile and articles thereof (-11.5%); machinery and electrical equipment (-3.0%); nutritional oils (-2.7%); base metals and articles thereof (-1.6%); and plant products (-0.6%).