ZAGREB, April 10, 2020 - Croatia's commodity exports reached HRK 18.1 billion in the first two months of 2020, up by 5.1% compared with the same period in 2019, while imports rose by 4% to HRK 29.7 billion, according to initial data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (DZS) on Friday.
The foreign trade deficit in the first two months of this year was HRK 11.6 billion, or HRK 264.3 million higher than in the corresponding period last year. Coverage of imports by exports increased from 60.4% to 61%.
Exports to EU member states rose by 2.2% to HRK 12.2 billion, while exports to non-EU countries went up by 11.6% to HRK 5.9 billion.
At the same time, EU imports increased by 2.8% to HRK 24.1 billion and non-EU imports rose by 9.4% to HRK 5.5 billion.
Viewed in euros, exports in the January-February period of 2020 reached €2.4 billion, up by 4.7% over the same period of 2019, while imports rose by 3.6% to nearly €4 billion.
The foreign trade deficit was €1.56 billion, compared to €1.52 billion in the first two months of 2019.
EU exports increased by 1.9% to €1.6 billion, and non-EU exports rose by 11.1% to €790.6 million. EU imports went up by 2.5% to €3.2 billion and non-EU imports reached €741.9 million, up 9%.
The manufacturing industry accounted for 84.2% of total exports. In January, manufacturing industry exports fell by 2% to €968.6 million.
Italy and Germany remained Croatia's main trading partners.
In January 2020, Croatia exported €154 million worth of commodities to Italy, which is 11.6% less than in January 2019, while at the same time imports from Italy increased by 6.7% to €269.4 million.
Exports to Germany decreased by 6.6% to €151.4 million and imports fell by 8.6% to €270.4 million.
January also saw a decline in exports to CEFTA (Central Free Trade Agreement) countries, of 5.6% to €178.6 million, with exports to Bosnia and Herzegovina falling by 9.4% to €97.4 million and to Serbia by 8.8% to €45.96 million.
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