The overall external trade of the Republic of Serbia for the period January – February 2012 amounted to USD 4.17 billion, which is a 4.2 percent drop compared to the same period in 2011, the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia stated on Friday.
The value of exports amounted to USD 1.40 billion, which was a 12.9 percent decrease when compared to the same period last year, while the value of imports amounted to USD 2.77 billion, which was a one percent increase relative to the same period last year.
The deficit amounted to USD 1.37 billion, which was an increase of 20.7 percent in relation to the same period last year. The export – import ratio equalled 50.6 percent and was lower if compared to the same period last year when it was 58.7 percent.
Regarding the structure of exports according to products’ destination, the most notable were: reproduction products 66.9 percent (USD 938.5 million), then consumer goods 26.2 percent (USD 367.8 million) and equipment 6.8 percent (USD 95.6 million).
Regarding the structure of imports according to products’ destination, the most notable were: reproduction products 61.1 percent (USD 1692.3 million), then consumer goods 18.6 percent (USD 516.6 million) and equipment 12.4 percent (USD 344.9 million).
The major foreign trade partners in exports in the reference period were: Germany (USD 191.9 million), Italy (USD 154.4 million) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (USD 119.3 million), while the major foreign trade partners in imports in the reference period were: the Russian Federation (USD 431.3 million), Germany (USD 273.8 million) and China (USD 214.5 million).
The external trade in the reference period noted the highest level with the counties with which Serbia has signed agreements on free trade. The EU member states account for more than 50 percent of the total external trade. Serbia’s second major partners are the CEFTA countries, where it recoded a surplus of USD 116.4 million.
The surplus is mainly a result of the exports of agricultural products (cereals and products thereof and various sorts of drinks), as well as exports of iron and steel. Regarding imports, items mainly relate to hard coal, coke and briquettes, iron and steel, electricity, as well as fruit and vegetables.
Serbia’s exports to CEFTA in the referent period amounted to USD 311.8 million, while the imports were USD 195.4 million. The export- import ratio equalled 159.6 percent.
Observed by countries, the greatest surplus was gained in the external trade with Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. The greatest deficit marked the trade with the Russian Federation, which was due to the imports of energy commodities, mainly oil and gas, followed by China, Hungary and Germany.
