site.btaBulgaria's Imports Up 21.2 Per Cent, Exports Up 8.7 Per Cent in January, Year on Year

Bulgaria's Imports Up 21.2 Per Cent, Exports Up 8.7 Per Cent in January, Year on Year

Sofia, March 13 (BTA) - In January 2017, all goods exported from Bulgaria were valued at 3,724.0 million leva, up 8.7 per cent from the same month a year earlier, according to preliminary data released by the National Statistical Institute on Monday.

The total value of all goods imported in this country in January 2017 amounted to 4,206.9 million leva (at CIF prices), or 21.2 per cent more than during the same month of 2016.

The total foreign trade balance (exports FOB - import CIF) in January 2017 was negative, amounting to 482.9 million leva. At FOB/FOB prices (after elimination of freight and insurance costs of imports), in January 2017 the total foreign trade balance was also negative and added up to 271.7 million leva.

Trade with EU

In 2016 Bulgarian exports to the EU grew by 7.2 per cent from 2015 and amounted to 31,153.1 million leva. Bulgaria's principal markets in the Union were Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece and France, which accounted for 63.8 per cent of the exports to the EU Member States. In December 2016, exports to the EU increased by 12.8 per cent from the comparable month of the previous year and added up to 2,439.9 million leva.

Bulgarian imports from the EU in 2016 increased by 2. 4 per cent, year on year, and reached 33,938.5 million leva at CIF prices. The largest amounts of imported came from Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece and Poland.

In December 2016, the Bulgarian imports from the EU Member States grew by 6.3 per cent from December 2015 and amounted to 3,045.2 million leva. Bulgaria's foreign trade balance (export FOB - import CIF) with the EU in 2016 was negative and added up to 2,785.4 million leva.

At FOB/FOB prices (after elimination of freight and insurance costs on imports), the trade balance was also negative and amounted to 1,187.7 million leva.

Trade with Third Countries

In January 2017, Bulgarian exports to third countries increased by 12.7 per cent from the like month of 2016 and amounted to 1,312.1 million leva. Bulgaria's principal trading partners were Turkey, Egypt, China, Serbia and Macedonia, which accounted for 52.7 per cent of the exports to non-EU countries.

Bulgarian imports from third countries in January 2017 increased by 30.8 per cent from the same month a year earlier and added up to 1,574.9 million leva (at CIF prices). The largest amounts were imported from Russia, Turkey, China and Serbia.

Bulgaria's foreign trade balance (export FOB - import CIF) with third countries in January 2017 was negative and added up to 262.8 million leva. The trade balance at FOB/FOB prices (after elimination of freight and insurance costs on imports) was also negative and amounted to 183.2 million leva.