Russian trade surplus contracts to $34.3 bln in Jan-Feb - customs
MOSCOW. April 6 (Interfax) - Russia posted a $34.3 billion trade surplus in January-February, 1.5% less than $34.8 billion in the same period last year.
The country did $103.3 billion worth of foreign trade during that period, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) reported.
Foreign trade turnover grew 25.8% year-on-year in the two months to $103.3 billion, with growth of 21.7% to $86.3 billion in trade with non-CIS countries and 51.9% to $17 billion in trade with the CIS.
The surplus in trade with the non-CIS narrowed $2.2 billion to $28.7 billion, but the surplus in trade with the CIS widened $1.7 billion to $5.6 billion.
Merchandise exports rose 17.7% year-on-year in the two months to $68.8 billion, including $57.5 billion to the non-CIS, up 12.9%, and $11.3 billion to the CIS, up 50.3%.
Merchandize imports rose 45.9% year-on-year to $34.5 billion, with imports from the non-CIS rising 44.2% to $28.8 billion and imports from the CIS rising 55.2% to $5.7 billion.
Russia's main non-CIS trading partners in January-February were China with $10.4 billion, up 44.6% year-on-year; Netherlands - $8.6 billion, up 2.2%; Germany - $8.4 billion, up 23.8%; Italy - $5.6 billion, unchanged; Turkey - $5.1 billion, up 30.5%; Poland - $4.1 billion, up 11.6%; Japan - $4 billion, up 70%; France - $3.4 billion, up 24.9%; United States - $3.2 billion, up 60%; and Britain - $2.6 billion, up 23.9%.