Macedonia's Intl Trade reaches $3.4B in first four months

International commodity trade in the first four months of 2013 was 3.406.495.000 US dollars. The export value of goods in Macedonia in the period between January and April was 1.309.912 thousand US dollars, and the import value was 2.096.583 thousand US dollars.

Import coverage by export was 62.5%. The trade deficit in the period January-April was 786.671 thousand US dollars, according to data published by the State Statistical Office.

Trade exchange according to products shows that in the exports the most significant products are supported catalysts with  precious metal or precious metal compounds as the active substance, ferro-nickel, iron and steel products (flat-rolled products),  clothes, and petroleum oil preparations. In the imports, the most significant products are crude petroleum oils, platinum and platinum alloys, unwrought or in powder form, nickel ores and concentrates and electricity.

Between January and April, the most important export partners were the EU's 27 countries (71.0%) and Western Balkan  countries (19.5%), while the most important import partners were the EU's 27 countries (57.2%) and other countries (12.6%).

According to the total volume of international commodity trade, the Macedonia's most important trade partners are Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Serbia and Italy (48.8% of the total international commodity trade).

EU Block is Macedonia's biggest trading partner

The volume of international trade in the first three months of 2013 was 2.447.987.000 US dollars.

According to preliminary data of the State Statistical Office, the export value of goods in Macedonia in the  period January - March 2013 was 948.053 thousand US dollars, and the import value was 1.499.934 thousand US dollars. Import  coverage by export was 63.2%. The trade deficit in the period January - March 2013 was 551.881 thousand US dollars.

The trade exchange according to products shows that in the exports the most significant products are supported catalysts with  precious metal or precious metal compounds as the active substance, ferro-nickel, iron and steel products (flat-rolled products), clothes, and petroleum oil preparations. In the imports, the most significant products are the crude petroleum oils, platinum and platinum alloys, unwrought or in powder form, nickel ores and concentrates and electricity.

From January till March the most important export partners were the EU's 27 countries (72.4%) and West Balkan  countries (18.8%), while the most important import partners were the EU's 27 countries (56.3%).

According to the total volume of international commodity trade, Macedonia's most important trade partners of are Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria (49.1% of the total international commodity trade).

Macedonia's trade exchange with Middle East, Maghreb countries without strategy

Macedonia's foreign trade exchange with countries in the Middle East and Maghreb is occurring incidentally, without a general strategy. Companies' attempts to bolster it are still hampered by unestablished preferential trade, visa regime, complex and expensive procedure for document verification and the lack of diplomatic and consular offices. Modest bilateral regulation is also seen as a problem, it was concluded at a news conference Monday at the Economic Chamber of Macedonia.
Country's total exchange with Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Morocco, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia and Libya in the period between January and October 2011 stood at 50.7 million US dollars, out of which $15.6 million were accumulated by export and 34.9 million by import. Trade deficit is $19.3 million, while import-export coverage is 44.4%.
Ljubica Nuri of the Economic Chamber said that the Arab Spring did not significantly affect trade exchange, which was boosted with Algeria and Tunisia, but hugely reduced with Libya.
Macedonia in Middle East and Maghreb countries primarily exports agricultural and food products (33.3%) and iron and steel products (39.1%). The import balance includes household products, electronic devices and equipment (26.6%), construction materials (19.8%), petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (12.9%) as well as agricultural and food produces (7.7%)."
Macedonian companies can increase their competitiveness on markets in the Middle East with Halal certification not only of products, but also of services," Nuri stated.Economic Chamber data suggest that this year a foreign-trade surplus has been realised with Iraq, Lebanon, UAE, Bahrain, Yemen and Tunisia, while trade deficit has occurred with Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Israel, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Macedonia has a Trade Surplus with Belgium

Belgium is one of rare countries with which Macedonia generates trade surplus.
According to the latest statistical data, the surplus amounted to USD 50 million in 2010 and USD 14 million in the first nine months of this year.
In terms of the total trade with the EU, trade with Belgium accounts for 4 percent. According to the Macedonian State Statistical Office, Macedonia exports tobacco, vegetables, ferronickel, textile products and sugar to Belgium.
On the other hand, motor vehicles, oils, iron, steel and plastic products are imported from Belgium.