Ukrainian trade deficit narrows 3.4% in Sept
KYIV. Nov 15 (Interfax) - Ukraine's visible trade deficit narrowed 3.4% year-on-year in September to $1.36 billion, the State Statistics Service said.
Merchandise exports in September 2012 compared to September last year fell by 7.2% to $5.546 billion, while imports were down 6.5% to $6.906 billion.
The service said that compared to August this year, exports in September fell by 4.9%, and imports by 5.1%.
In the first nine months of 2012, the visible traded deficit widened 19.7% to $11.475 billion. Exports in the period increased 1.8% to $50.799 billion, and imports 4.7% to $62.273 billion.
Ukraine traded with 210 countries and regions, whereas a year ago their number was 217.
Exports to CIS countries accounted for 37% of overall exports, to Asia 26.7%, Europe 24.7% (including 24.1% to the EU), Africa 7.7%, the Americas 3.8% and Australia and Oceania 0.1%.
The bulk of the exports were to Russia (25.8% of overall exports), Turkey (5.5%), Egypt (3.9%), Poland (3.8%), Kazakhstan (3.7%), India (3.3%) and Italy (3.3%).
Ukraine boosted exports to all of its major partners: exports to Egypt grew by 180%, Kazakhstan 50%, India by 14%, Italy 28.8%, Russia 10.7%, Poland 7.7%, and Turkey 1.7%.
Imports from the CIS countries accounted for 41.6% of the overall volume, from Europe 31.9% (including 30.3% from the EU countries), Asia 19.7%, the Americas 5.5%, Africa 1% and Australia and Oceania 0.3%.
Ukraine imported goods mostly from Russia (32.9% of all imports), China (9.2%), Germany (7.9%), Belarus (6.4%), Poland (4.1%), the United States (3.7%) and Italy (2.6%).
Imports from Belarus grew by 37.7%, from China 28.3%, the United States 20%, Italy 18.7%, Poland 10.4% and Germany 3.4%. However, imports from Russia fell by 5.1%.