The turnover of merchandise trade amounted to $60.1 billion in Belarus by the end of 2010, having increased by 20.5% against 2009. The volume of exports rose to $25.2 billion (18.4%), imports — up to $34.9 billion (22.9%). Thus, the trade deficit amounted to $9.6 billion in the country, having increased by 32.7%.
As evidenced by the data from the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, the country developed its trade relations most successfully with the CIS member-states (23.5% increase). The volume of exports to these countries increased by 44.9% to $13.5 billion, import — by 12.5% to $20.5 billion. As a result, the negative balance of trade with the CIS countries amounted to only 78.7% of the previous year, or $7 billion against $8.9 billion in 2009.
However, Russia became the main trade partner of Belarus in 2010. It accounted for 47.7% of foreign trade turnover ($27.8 billion, an increase of 18.9%), 38.9% of exports ($9.8 billion, an increase of 46.1%), 51.8% of imports ($18.1 billion, an increase of 8%). Belarusian-Russian trade deficit decreased by 18% from $10 billion to $8.2 billion.
The share of non-CIS countries in the foreign trade with Belarus amounted to 43.4%, having increased up to $26.1 billion (16.8%). The exports to these countries, constituting 46.4% of the total export of Belarus, has decreased by 2.2% to $11.7 billion, while imports from these countries (41.2%) have increased by 38.8% up to $14.4 billion. However, the trade balance with these countries was negative and amounted to $2.6 billion in comparison with $1.6 billion surplus in 2099.
As Telegraf previously reported, chairman of the National Bank of Belarus Petr Prokopovich said that the country should reach positive balance of foreign trade in 2015, otherwise it could threatened all the development plans of the country’s economy.
