Trade gap widens by €132.2 million in April

Provisional data for international trade show that the visible trade gap in April stood at €262.5 million, up by €132.2 million when compared to the corresponding month last year. There were increases in imports and exports of €171.6 million and €39.4 million respectively.

The increase in the value of imports was primarily due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials. Other increases were registered for machinery and transport equipment, food, semi-manufactured goods, miscellaneous transactions and commodities, and crude materials. Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials accounted for the main increase in exports, with other increases recorded for machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured articles, food, and beverages and tobacco.

January-April 2013

In the first four months this year, the visible trade gap widened by €100.9 million, to €574 million. The increase in imports of €56.8 million was mainly due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, with other increases recorded for food, and beverages and tobacco.

On the other hand, exports registered a decrease in value of €43.9 million, which was primarily due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials. Other decreases were noted for semi-manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured articles, crude materials, and miscellaneous transactions and commodities.

A substantial amount of Malta's trade flows and consequent trade deficit continued to be directed towards the European Union. Increases were registered in imports from Greece, the Netherlands and Spain, while there were decreases from Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Exports to the euro area declined, mainly to Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands, while increases in exports were recorded for Libya, Singapore, the United States of America, Greece, Russia, Indonesia, Spain, and China.