OREANDA-NEWS. March 10, 2011. Belarus’ foreign commodity trade deficit amounted to USD 902.6 million in January 2011, compared to a USD 2.7 million deficit in January 2010, according to the National Statistics Committee.

Exports fell 13.1% in January 2011 year-on-year to USD 1.569 billion, and imports increased 36.7% to USD 2.471 billion.

Exports from Belarus included USD 980.8 million worth of supplies to CIS states, up 36.2% on the year, including exports to Russia, which stood at USD 797.4 million, up 45% and to Kazakhstan at USD 28.2 million, up 39.1%.

Exports to non-CIS countries amounted to USD 587.8 million as of February 1, 2011, down 45.8% on the year.

Belarusian imports from CIS countries rose 5.8% to USD 1.327 billion, including imports from Russia at USD 1.179 billion, up 2.4% on the year, and from Kazakhstan at USD 14.2 million, up 210%.

Imports from non-CIS countries went up 110% on the year to USD 1.144 billion.

The deficit of commodity trade with CIS countries came to USD 346.4 million, down 35.1% on the year in January. The deficit of commodity trade with Russia fell 36.5% year-on-year in January 2011 to USD 381.8 million. In trade with Kazakhstan, Belarus showed a USD 14 million surplus, down 10.8%.

The deficit of foreign trade with countries outside the CIS reached USD 556.2 million in January 2011, compared with a surplus of USD 531.3 million surplus in January 2010.

The CIS accounted for 57.1% of Belarus’ trade turnover in January 2011, Russia accounted for 48.9%, while non-CIS foreign states are responsible for 42.9%.