OREANDA-NEWS. February 13, 2012. Belarus’ foreign commodity trade deficit amounted to U.S. USD 5.453 billion in January-December 2011, compared to a USD 9.601 billion deficit in 2010, according to the National Statistics Committee.

Exports rose 59.4% in 2011 year-on-year to USD 40.294 billion, and imports increased 31.1% to USD 45.747 billion.

Exports from Belarus included USD 19.503 billion worth of supplies to CIS states, up 43% on the year, including exports to Russia, which stood at USD 13.685 billion, up 37.5% and to Kazakhstan at USD 631.2 million, up 35.8%.

Exports to foreign countries other than the CIS states amounted to USD 20.791 billion as of January 1, 2011, up 78.5% on the year.

Belarusian imports from CIS countries rose 36.8% to USD 28.087 billion, including imports from Russia at USD 24.923 billion, up 37.8% on the year, and from Kazakhstan at USD 137 million, down 66.2%.

Imports from foreign countries other than the CIS states went up 23.1% on the year to USD 17.661 billion.

The deficit of commodity trade with CIS countries came to USD 8.583 billion, up 24.4% on the year in January-December 2011. The deficit of commodity trade with Russia expanded 38.3% year-on-year in 2011 to USD 11.238 billion. In trade with Kazakhstan, Belarus showed a USD 494.2 million surplus, up 740%.

The surplus of foreign trade with countries outside the CIS reached USD 3.13 billion in 2011, compared to a USD 2.7 billion deficit in 2010.

The CIS accounted for 55.3% of Belarus’ trade turnover in 2011, Russia accounted for 44.9%, while non-CIS foreign states are responsible for 44.7%.