PHOTO
18 February 2017
Tunisia's trade deficit more than doubled to 1,221.8 million dinars (MD) in January 2017, compared to 507.2 million dinars in January 2016, resulting in a loss of more than 15 points in the import coverage rate by exports, according to the foreign trade results published by the National Statistics Institute (French: INS).
Thus, the coverage rate stood at 64.8%, against 80.2% a year earlier, dropping by 15.4 points. This trade deficit is due to a sharp increase in the energy balance (-309.2 MD against -24.2 MD in January 2016), which represents 25.3% of the overall deficit.
It is also explained by the increase in imports by 35.6% to 3,474.8 MD, at a faster rate than that of exports (+ 9.6% to 2,253 MD). Imports increased in all sectors, including energy, as imports edged up 277.9% compared to January 2016 (98.4 MD). According to INS, energy imports in January 2016 were below the monthly averages (405 MD) recorded in the years 2015 and 2016.
Similarly, imports of agricultural and basic food products rose by 75.1% due to higher imports of soft wheat (57.4 MD compared to 33 MD in January 2016).
The same applies to raw materials and semi-manufactured products, which increased by 20.7%.
In terms of exports, the increase in January 2017 regarded agricultural and food products (19.2%) due to the rise in the sales of dates (59.1 MD against 29.4 MD ), mechanical and electrical industries by 16.7% and as textiles by 7.4%.
On the other hand, energy and phosphate exports dropped by 15.5% and 11.4%, respectively.
Chinese products fuel trade deficit
China remains the country with which Tunisia has the largest trade deficit (- 292.2 MD), followed by other countries such as Russia (-228.6 MD) and Italy (-121, 6 MD).The trade balance recorded a surplus with several countries such as France, Tunisia's largest partner (236.2 MD) and Libya (53.3 MD).
Tunisian exports to the European Union recorded a 10.1% increase. This upward trend mainly regarded Germany (+ 20.5%), Belgium (16.8%) and France (+ 12.2%), while sales fell notably with the Netherlands (-42. 6%) and Spain (-2.2%).
On the Maghreb scale, Tunisian exports continued to fell towards Libya (-24.5%). On the contrary, those for Morocco and Algeria showed a noteworty growth by 146.8% and 19.7%, respectively.
As for imports, the Tunisian trade with the European Union which accounts for 51% of the total imports worth 1,772.7 MD), edged up by 28% compared to the same period last year.
France and Italy remain Tunisia's largest suppliers, with import quotas of 14.5% and 14.1%, respectively.Imports from Italy increased by 39.2% and France by 14.7%.
Tunisia's trade deficit more than doubled to 1,221.8 million dinars (MD) in January 2017, compared to 507.2 million dinars in January 2016, resulting in a loss of more than 15 points in the import coverage rate by exports, according to the foreign trade results published by the National Statistics Institute (French: INS).
Thus, the coverage rate stood at 64.8%, against 80.2% a year earlier, dropping by 15.4 points. This trade deficit is due to a sharp increase in the energy balance (-309.2 MD against -24.2 MD in January 2016), which represents 25.3% of the overall deficit.
It is also explained by the increase in imports by 35.6% to 3,474.8 MD, at a faster rate than that of exports (+ 9.6% to 2,253 MD). Imports increased in all sectors, including energy, as imports edged up 277.9% compared to January 2016 (98.4 MD). According to INS, energy imports in January 2016 were below the monthly averages (405 MD) recorded in the years 2015 and 2016.
Similarly, imports of agricultural and basic food products rose by 75.1% due to higher imports of soft wheat (57.4 MD compared to 33 MD in January 2016).
The same applies to raw materials and semi-manufactured products, which increased by 20.7%.
In terms of exports, the increase in January 2017 regarded agricultural and food products (19.2%) due to the rise in the sales of dates (59.1 MD against 29.4 MD ), mechanical and electrical industries by 16.7% and as textiles by 7.4%.
On the other hand, energy and phosphate exports dropped by 15.5% and 11.4%, respectively.
Chinese products fuel trade deficit
China remains the country with which Tunisia has the largest trade deficit (- 292.2 MD), followed by other countries such as Russia (-228.6 MD) and Italy (-121, 6 MD).The trade balance recorded a surplus with several countries such as France, Tunisia's largest partner (236.2 MD) and Libya (53.3 MD).
Tunisian exports to the European Union recorded a 10.1% increase. This upward trend mainly regarded Germany (+ 20.5%), Belgium (16.8%) and France (+ 12.2%), while sales fell notably with the Netherlands (-42. 6%) and Spain (-2.2%).
On the Maghreb scale, Tunisian exports continued to fell towards Libya (-24.5%). On the contrary, those for Morocco and Algeria showed a noteworty growth by 146.8% and 19.7%, respectively.
As for imports, the Tunisian trade with the European Union which accounts for 51% of the total imports worth 1,772.7 MD), edged up by 28% compared to the same period last year.
France and Italy remain Tunisia's largest suppliers, with import quotas of 14.5% and 14.1%, respectively.Imports from Italy increased by 39.2% and France by 14.7%.
© Tunis-Afrique Presse 2017
