In 2009 Belarus’ Foreign Trade Down 29.9%

In 2009 Belarus’ foreign trade in goods and services shrank by 29.9% over 2008 to $55.2 billion, BelTA learnt from the National Statistics Committee.

Export fell by 33% to $24.8 billion, import by27.1% to $30.4 billion. In 2009 the deficit in trade in goods and services came to $5,550.5 million (in 2009 the deficit was projected at $1.47-1.5 billion).

According to the statistics committee, the decrease in the cost volume of foreign trade operations last year was due to falling average prices for exported and imported goods and to shrinking demand because of the global crisis. Average export prices fell by 26.2%, import prices by 17%. Physical volume of export reduced by 11.5%, that of import by 12.6%.

In 2009 the foreign trade in goods totaled $49.9 billion including export $21.3 billion, import $28.6 billion. The cost volume of export of goods in actual prices fell by 34.7% over 2008, that of import 27.5%. The deficit of foreign trade in goods reached $7281.4 million as against $6810.5 million in 2008.

According the projections of the National Statistics Committee, export and import operations with intermediate goods (energy resources, raw materials, and components) were the main source of the foreign trade deficit. Belarus imported $120.8 billion worth of intermediate products (down 28.1% on 2008) and exported $15 billion worth of intermediate products (down 1.6 times). The deficit of the foreign trade in energy resources amounted to $3.378 million. The deficit of the foreign trade in energy resources amounted to $3.378 million.

Last year the export of Belarusian investment goods plunged due to the falling demand. As a result it caused the $897.1 million deficit (against $150.7 million in 2008). The export of road construction machinery amounted to only 23.8% as against the level of 2008, export of trucks and truck tractors — 34.3%, special-purpose vehicles — 32.2%, trailers and semitrailers — 40.4%, tractors — 54.1 %. At the same time Belarus imported more metal-working machinery, equipment for bonded fabric production and finishing, weaving looms and food and drink manufacturing equipment.

In 2009 the surplus of the foreign trade in food totaled $593.8 million, 4.3 times up in comparison with 2008. The food export inched up by 1.4% in cost terms. In particular, Belarus increased the export of beef (by $138.8 million), sugar (by $73 million), vegetable oils (by $34.3 million), poultry meat and butter. Meanwhile, Belarus imported much less pork, vegetable oils, frozen fish, macaroni products, cereals, non-alcohol beverages, canned fish, apples, pears and juices. The deficit of the foreign trade in non-food consumer goods totaled $1,122.9 million against $1,492.3 million in 2008.

In 2009 Belarus’ foreign trade in services made up $5502.6 million (80.9% as against 2008). The export of services reached $3,461.7 million (82.7%), import — $2,040.9 million (78%). The surplus stood at $1,420.8 million.