Over the last six months Belarus has achieved positive balance of foreign trade

According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, over the first half of 2012 positive balance of foreign trade in Belarusian commodities totaled $1 billion 990.6 million.

According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, over the first half of 2012 positive balance of foreign trade in Belarusian commodities totaled $1 billion 990.6 million.

During the same period in 2011 Belarus had an adverse trade balance which amounted to $3.779 billion.

In January-June this year foreign trade turnover increased by 16.8% compared with the same period in 2011 and reached $48.632 billion. Exports grew by 33.7% to $25.3 billion, imports – by 2.7% to $23.3 billion.

Trade turnover with CIS countries totaled $27.138 billion (growth rate of 120.5%), exports – $11.261 billion (120%), imports - $15.877 billion (120%).

In the first half of 2012 trade with the Customs Union increased by 21.7% to $22.978 billion. Exports rose by 12.5% ??to $8.151 billion, imports – by 27.5% to $14.827 billion. Goods turnover with Russia amounted to $22.5 billion (an increase of 21.7%). Exports totaled $7.733 billion (an increase of 11.5%), imports – $14.766 billion (an increase of 27.9%). Trade with Kazakhstan reached $479 million (an increase of 21.8%), exports – $417 million (an increase of 34.7%). Imports from Kazakhstan fell to 73.9% against the corresponding level last year and made $61.4 million.

In January-June trade turnover with non-CIS countries grew by 12.4% to nearly $21.5 billion, while exports reached $14 billion (an increase of 47.2%). During the same period, imports decreased by 12.3% to $8.444 billion. Thus Belarus has reached a positive balance totaling $6.6 billion, whereas during the same period last year it was negative and amounted to $35.6 million.

There is a certain improvement in commodity trade with EU countries. Here, trade turnover amounted to $15.652 billion (growth rate of 139.9%), including exports – $11.554 billion (163.1%). Imports from the EU fell by 0.2% and totaled more than $4 billion. The balance is positive and totals $7.457 billion. If to take the same period last year, the balance was also positive, but it amounted to just $ 3 billion.