Moldovan exports drop 7.2 % in eight months

In January-August 2006, the exports were estimated at USD 635.5 mln, a 7.2% decrease compared with the same period of 2005, the National Statistics Bureau found. The exports to the CIS countries totaled to USD 275.9 mln and registered a pronounced decline (-20.7%), fact which caused a change in the share of exports to the CIS – from 50.8% in January-August 2005 to 43.1% in the mentioned period. The exports to the EU countries amounted to USD 207.6 mln, a 5.8% increase compared with January-August 2005, reaching the share of 32.7%, compared with 28.7% in January-August 2005. The exports delivered to the Central and Eastern European countries amounted to USD 102.2 mln, a 34.3% increase. The share of this group of countries increased from 11.1% in January-August 2005 to 16.1%. The first 15 exports-partners, with a share of 89.6% out of the total amount, were Russia (USD 131.5 mln, a figure reduced by 43.5%), Romania (90.8 mln, +25.2%), Ukraine (78.1 mln, +34.2%), Italy (73.2 mln USD, -17.1%), Belarus (43.1 mln USD, +10.3%), with Germany, Turkey, Poland, Great Britain, France, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Belgium, the USA and Bulgaria following. In January-August 2006 the imports amounted to USD 1.631 bln, a figure 14.7% higher compared with the same period of last year. The CIS countries imported goods to Moldova worth USD 634 mln (+ 13.2%), equal to 39.3% out of the total amount of imports (39.8% in January-August 2005). The imports from the EU countries reached USD 492.1 mln (+5.4%), meaning 30.5% of imports (33.2% in January-August 2005). The imports coming from Central and Eastern European countries registered a significant increase (+32.7%), changing their share from 12% to 13.8%.