Surplus in commodity trade at $255m in Minsk in January

MINSK, 20 March (BelTA) – Minsk posted a $254.7 million surplus in foreign trade in goods in January, BelTA learnt from the main statistics department of the city.

The export exceeded $1.4 billion, down by 19.5% compared to the same period a year before. The import stood at $1.17 billion, down by 1.4%. Minsk had a surplus in foreign trade in investment goods ($54.7 million) and intermediary goods ($334.9 million).

The export of investment goods in money terms reduced by 7.8% compared to January 2012. This is attributed to the reduction in export of trucks, vehicles, tractors, stone processing machines, ceramics and concrete.

Minsk had a $174.7 million trade deficit in the consumer commodities group. The import of the following consumer goods dropped: bread and bakery products (2.7 times), TV sets, TV monitors and TV projectors (2.5 times), furniture and its component parts (2.4 times), chocolate and other cocoa-containing products (2.3 times), household appliances, heaters, and electric stoves (1.7 times).

The export shrank in the following groups of consumer goods: wallpaper (by 98.5%), refrigerators, fridges and refrigerating equipment (by 29.2%), cars (by 90.9%), communication devices (by 55.8%).

In January 2013, the foreign trade in services made up $353.1 million, up by 15% over the same period in 2012. The export of services was estimated at $239.6 million, up by 21.1%, the import made up $113.5 million, up by 3.9%. The surplus amounted to $126.1 million.

The export of services was dominated by transport services that made up 61.3% of all exports. They are followed by computer, telecommunication and information services (17.9% of all exports), business services (11.2%), construction services (4%) and tourist services (3.2%).