Industrial production in Serbia increased in March 2021 by 6.1 percent compared to the same month last year, and compared to the average in 2020, it was higher by 9.0 percent, according to today’s preliminary data from the Republic Statistical Office.
In the first three months of the current year, industrial production grew by 3.8 percent year-on-year.
According to seasonally adjusted data, the total industrial production in March was 3.5 percent lower than in February, while the processing industry recorded a decline of 2.7 percent.
Observed by sector, in March, mining grew by 5.7 percent, manufacturing by 6.5 percent, and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 5 percent.
Exports rose 13.8 percent, imports 0.3 percent in the first quarter
Total foreign trade of Serbia increased in the first quarter of 2021 by 5.5 percent year on year, to 10.79 billion euros, with exports increasing by 13.8 percent, while imports were lower by 0.3 percent.
According to the just published data of the Republic Bureau of Statistics, in the observed period, goods were exported for 4.82 billion euros, and imported for 5.96 billion.
The foreign trade deficit for the first quarter amounts to 1.14 billion euros and is lower by 34.6 percent compared to the same period last year.
The coverage of imports by exports is 80.8 percent, which is more than in the comparable period last year when it was 70.9 percent.
Expressed in dollars, the total trade with the world in the first three months amounted to almost 13.02 billion dollars, which is an increase of 15.6 percent year on year. Exports of goods in dollar value were 5.81 billion, which is a jump of 24.6 percent on an annual level, and imports were worth 7.19 billion and are 9.2 percent higher than last year.
The deficit “weighed” 1.38 billion dollars, which is a decrease of 28.2 percent compared to the first quarter of 2020.
The largest share in exports was in the Region of Vojvodina (36.7%), and in imports in the Belgrade region (46.0%).
Foreign trade was the largest with countries with which Serbia has signed free trade agreements. EU member states accounted for 63.4 percent of total trade.
The largest individual foreign trade partner of Serbia remained Germany, to which we sold goods worth 623.1 million euros in the first three months, and imported 826 million euros from that country.
With the CEFTA countries, which are our second most important partner, we achieved a surplus in goods trade of 469.4 million euros, with exports amounting to 695.5 million and imports 226.1 million euros. The coverage of imports by exports is 307.6 percent.
Monthly foreign trade results show that in March 2021, Serbia exported goods worth 1.88 billion euros, or 34.9 percent more than in the same month last year, while imports amounted to 2.37 billion, an increase of 11.6 percent.
According to seasonally adjusted data, exports increased by 1.8 percent in March, while imports fell by 2.4 percent compared to February 2021.
Turnover of goods in March 2021 increased in current prices by 6.8 percent
The turnover of goods in retail trade in Serbia in March 2021, compared to March 2020, is higher in current prices by 6.8 percent, and in constant prices by 5.5 percent, the Republic Statistical Office announced.
If we compare the first three months of 2021 with the same period in 2020, the turnover of goods in retail trade is higher in current prices by four percent, and in constant prices by 3.9 percent, according to the SBS website, Dnevnik reports.
