DODOMA, March 24 -- IMPORTS of goods and services reached 18.28 billion US dollars (about 47.1tri/-) in the year ending January, marking a 6.6 per cent increase from the same period last year, driven primarily by rising demand for industrial supplies.

The surge reflects ongoing industrial expansion and heightened manufacturing activity, signalling stronger domestic production needs and potential implications for trade balances and supply chain dynamics.

According to the latest Bank of Tanzania Monthly Economic Review, other significant import categories include industrial transport equipment, freight services, and machinery and mechanical appliances, with capital and intermediate goods driving much of the increase.

These trends highlig...