Date: October 19
The government's actions in foreign trade continue to yield results. Today, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Roberto Sánchez, highlighted the growth in exports and imports of goods registered between January and July of this year, which have generated a total of US$ 68,486 million.
In the month of July alone, foreign trade in goods grew by 9.4% year-on-year, driven largely by an increase in imports (+22.1%) – mainly supplies (+42.1%)- with an amount of US$ 4,871 million.
“We are pleased to announce that, after the first seven months of the year, foreign trade in goods has grown 17.3%, compared to the same period in 2021, thanks to a greater flow of imports and exports. This is the result of synergistic work between the public and private sectors to strengthen and reactivate the development of the sector”, said Minister Sánchez.
EXPORTS
Exports of goods between January and July of this year have increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2021. The figures released by the Mincetur indicate that, during that period, shipments abroad totaled close to US$ 37 billion, that is, US$ 4,826 million more than what was achieved last year.
It should be noted that this increase in exports has been driven by an increase in prices and, to a lesser extent, volumes of exported products. At this point, the growth in the sale of energy goods (+163.9%) stands out, including natural gas, which is the country's third most important export good.
The figures show that the export of natural gas has totaled US$ 2,152 million, in the first seven months of 2022, showing a growth of +394% compared to the same range, in 2021.
“45% of the natural gas exported from our country has gone to the United Kingdom, with whom, since December 2020, we have had a trade agreement. It must be remembered that, during the year 2021, trade between the two countries amounted to US$ 1,567 million, and that, in the current year, only in the first seven months, trade amounted to US$ 1,228 million”, he added. Minister Sanchez.
Another sector with positive figures is agro-export, which in 2021 reached a record value (US$ 8.73 billion). During the first seven months of the year, agro-industrial exports amounted to US$ 4,774 million, growing almost 20% compared to the same period in 2021. Here, the increase in shipments of coffee (+239.4%), blueberry (+123.7%) and grapes (+13.9%).
Added to this is the export of textiles and clothing, which reached US$ 1,097 million in the first seven months of 2022, a value 34.5% higher than last year, thanks to higher sales of cotton products (+ 40%).
IMPORTS
The import of non-durable consumer goods grew 11.7% in the same period of time, compared to 2021, mainly due to the arrival of clothing (+14.6) and toiletries and cleaning products (+13.9).
Imports of goods between January and July of this year grew 20% compared to the same time, in 2021, generating an economic movement of US$ 31,532 million. This growth, according to Mincetur figures, has been the result of higher international prices for basic products, such as fertilizers (+108%) and oil (+60%).
SOURCE: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PROTOCOL & MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE AND TOURISM
