site.btaIn January-April 2020, Bulgarian Exports Down 4.8 Per Cent, Imports Down 8.5 Per Cent, Year on Year

June 11 (BTA) - In the January-April 2020 period, Bulgaria exported goods valued at 18,008.2 million leva, which was 4.8 per cent less than for the same period of 2019. In April 2020 alone, exports of goods totalled 3,769.0 million leva, down by 19.5 per cent from April 2019, according to preliminary data released by the National Statistical Institute on Thursday.

The total value of all goods imported in Bulgaria in the January-April 2020 period was 19,349.6 million leva (at CIF prices), or 8.5 per cent less than in the same period of 2019. In April 2020 alone, imports of goods totalled 3,773.3 million leva, down by 30.8 per cent from April 2019.

Bulgaria's total foreign trade balance (exports FOB - import CIF) was negative in the January-April 2020 period and amounted to 1,341.4 million leva. In April 2020 alone, the total foreign trade balance (exports FOB - import CIF) was also negative, adding up to 4.3 million leva.

Trade with Third Countries

In the January-April 2020 period, Bulgarian exports of goods to third countries decreased by 4.2 per cent from the same period of 2019 and added up to 6,302.6 million leva. The country's main export markets in this group were Turkey, China, the UK, the US, Serbia, Russia and North Macedonia, which accounted for 52.8 per cent of the exports to non-EU countries. In April 2020 alone, Bulgarian exports of goods to third countries dropped by 18.4 per cent from April 2019 and amounted to 1,331.8 million leva.

The imports of goods to Bulgaria from third countries decreased by 7.4 per cent in the January-April 2020 period from the same period of 2019 and added up to 7,541.1 million leva (at CIF prices). The largest imports originated from Russia, Turkey, China and Serbia. In April 2020 alone, the imports of goods to Bulgaria from third countries dropped by 27.7 per cent from April 2019 and amounted to 1,486.2 million leva.

Bulgaria's foreign trade balance (export FOB - import CIF) with third countries in the January-April 2020 period was negative and added up to 1,238.5 million leva. In April 2020 alone, Bulgaria's foreign trade balance (export FOB - import CIF) with third countries was also negative and amounted to 154.4 million leva.

Trade with EU Member States

In the January-March 2020 period, Bulgarian exports to the EU decreased by 0.1 per cent from the same period of 2019 and amounted to 9,268.4 million leva. Bulgaria's main export markets in this group were Germany, Romania, Italy, Greece, Belgium and France, which accounted for 70.2 per cent of exports to the EU Member States. In March 2020 alone, exports to the EU dropped by 9.2 per cent from March 2019 and amounted to 2,877.5 million leva.

Bulgarian imports from the EU in the January-March 2020 period decreased by 0.9 per cent from the same period of 2019 and reached 9,521.4 million leva (at CIF prices). The largest imports originated from Germany, Romania, Italy, Greece and Hungary. In March 2020 alone, Bulgarian imports from EU Member States dropped by 8.8 per cent from March 2019 and amounted to 3,206.8 million leva. RI/LG

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