OREANDA-NEWS. June 22, 2012. Belarus’ foreign commodity trade surplus amounted to USD 1.025 billion in January-April 2012, compared to a USD 3.401 billion deficit in January-April 2011, according to the National Statistics Committee.

Exports rose 40.4% in January-April 2012 year-on-year to USD 16.276 billion, and imports increased 1.7% to USD 15.251 billion.

Exports from Belarus included USD 7.13 billion worth of supplies to the CIS states, up 23.2% on the year, including exports to Russia, which stood at USD 5.027 billion, up 16.9%, and to Kazakhstan at USD 251.9 million, up 46.1%.

Exports to foreign countries other than the CIS states amounted to USD 9.146 billion as of May 1, 2012, up 60% on the year. Exports to the EU states expanded 80% to USD 7.824 billion.

Belarusian imports from CIS countries rose 22.6% to USD 10.786 billion, including imports from Russia at USD 10.119 billion, up 32.6% on the year, and from Kazakhstan at USD 46.3 million, down 30.1%.

Imports from foreign countries other than the CIS states went down 27.9% on the year to USD 4.465 million. Imports from the EU states went down 8.8% on the year to USD 2.557 billion.

The deficit of commodity trade with the CIS countries came to USD 3.657 billion, up 21.5% on the year in January-April 2012. The deficit of commodity trade with Russia expanded 50% year-on-year in January-April 2012 to USD 5.093 billion. In trade with Kazakhstan, Belarus showed a USD 205.6 million surplus, up 90%.

The surplus of foreign trade with countries outside the CIS reached USD 4.681 billion in January-April 2012, compared to a USD 392.9 million deficit in January-April 2011.

The CIS accounted for 56.8% of Belarus’ trade turnover in January-April 2012 (54.9% in Jan-Apr 2011), Russia accounted for 48% (44.9%), while non-CIS foreign states are responsible for 43.2% (45.1%).