By Ivan Veselovsky
Belarus has raised its sales volumes during its sovereign history. Although the final results of last year’s foreign trade are yet to be announced, the first eleven months allow us to be optimistic, despite the difficulties connected with the sale of oil products and potash fertilisers.
According to the National Statistical Committee, from January to November 2012, the volume of foreign trade in goods stood at $84.8bn, with exports accounting for $42.5bn and imports $42.3bn. The value of the Republic’s exports (compared to January-November 2011) rose by 13.4 percent — or $5bn (calculating at current prices). Meanwhile, imports also rose a little — by 2.2 percent: $900m.
Belarus enjoyed a positive balance of $272m for its trade of goods. This is a great improvement on January-November 2011, which saw a negative balance of $3.833bn.
From January to November 2012, trade took place with 197 countries: goods were supplied to 156 states and were imported from 178. Belarus’ major trade partners were Russia (accounting for 47.2 percent of total turnover), the Netherlands (9 percent), Ukraine (8.5 percent), Germany (4.7 percent), Latvia (4 percent), China (3 percent), Poland (2.5 percent), Lithuania and Italy (1.7 percent each) and Brazil (1.2 percent).
Belarusian exports comprised mostly of oil products (31.8 percent) and potash fertilisers (5.9 percent), followed by dairy products (3.9 percent) and machinery (3.3 percent for truck tractors and 3.1 percent for tractors). The remainder covered 49.4 percent of exported Belarusian produce. Imports were primarily represented by raw materials: 18.7 percent crude oil, followed by oil products (11.7 percent), natural gas (7.2 percent) and ferrous metals (5.1 percent).
