Moldova’s exports decreased by 16% during the first ten months of this year. The exports in January-October totaled US$1.636,7 billion. Both the volume of national goods exported and of those that are re-exported diminished, IPN reports, quoting the National Bureau of Statistics.

The exports to Ukraine, Egypt, Lithuania, Russia, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan decreased the most. But exports to Syria, Canada, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and the UK increased.

The exports of gas and industrial products obtained from gas in the period declined compared with January – October last year. The exports of meat and meat products, paper, unprocessed rubber, steel and iron, processed plastic materials, medicines and pharmaceutical products, natural fertilizers and minerals also decreased.

At the same time, the exports of plastic material in primary forms, textile fibers and textile waste, organic chemical products, processed rubber, oil seeds and oleaginous fruits increased, offsetting the total decline in exports by 1.7%.

Imports in the period came to US$3.299,2 billion, a decrease of 24% compared with January-October last year. Natural persons imported goods to the value of US$62 million, down 38.7% on a year before. The decline in imports was mainly due to the 37.6% decrease in the imports of motor vehicles, which represented 90.0% of private individuals’ imports.