Imports and exports of copper down 4.3% in '08

China's imports and exports of copper hit 3.26 million tons in 2008, down 4.3 percent from a year earlier, the General Administration of Customs said on Feb 11.

Imports stood at 2.64 million tons, reflecting a decrease of 5.1 percent year-on-year against the 34.8 percent increase in 2007. Exports dropped 0.8 percent year-on-year to 620,000 tons.

The country's net import in copper decreased 6.4 percent year-on-year to 2.02 million tons.

Both import and export prices climbed in the first half of last year and decreased in the later half after reaching $8,400 per ton and $8,599 per ton in July and August respectively. The two figures dropped to $4,336 per ton and $6,530 per ton in December, both the lowest in recent years.

The customs contributed the declines to the expanding impact of the global financial crisis to the real economy.