OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus' foreign trade deficit stood at USD 129.3 million in January-March 2014 to compare with a USD 694.8 million deficit in January-March 2013, according to the National Statistics Committee (Belstat).

Commodity exports decreased 4.1% year on year in January-March 2014 to USD 9.124 billion, while imports decreased 9.3% month on month to USD 9.253 billion.

Exports from Belarus included USD 4.953 billion worth of supplies to the CIS states, down 4.6% on the year. Exports to the Customs Union totalled USD 3.849 billion (down 4.3%), including exports to Russia, which stood at USD 3.661 billion, down 5.3%, and to Kazakhstan at USD 187.9 million, up 20.6%.

Exports to foreign countries other than the CIS states amounted to USD 4.171 billion in January-March 2014, down 3.5% on the year. Exports to the EU states reduced 2% to USD 3.191 billion.

Belarusian imports from the CIS countries reduced 10.2% to USD 5.669 billion. Imports from the Customs Union reduced 8.6% to USD 5.279 billion, including imports from Russia at USD 5.254 billion, down 8.7% on the year, and from Kazakhstan at USD 25.6 million, up 33.8%.

Imports from foreign countries other than the CIS states went down 7.9% on the year to USD 3.584 billion. Imports from the EU states went down 8.8% on the year to USD 2.077 billion.

The deficit of commodity trade with the CIS countries came to USD 716.1 million (to compare with minUSD 1.125 billion in January-March 2013).

The deficit of commodity trade with the Customs Union totalled minUSD 1.431 billion (minUSD 1.754 billion), which includes the deficit of commodity trade with Russia - USD 1.593 billion (minUSD 1.89 billion). In trade with Kazakhstan, Belarus showed a USD 162.3 million surplus, (USD 136.7 million).

The surplus of foreign trade with countries outside the CIS reached USD 586.8 million in January-March 2014, to compare with a USD 430.6 million surplus in January-March 2013.

The foreign trade surplus in transactions with the European Union reached USD 1.114 billion in January-March 2014, up from a USD 978.6 million in January-March 2013.

The CIS accounted for 57.6% of Belarus' trade turnover in January-March 2014 (58.4% in January-March 2013), Russia accounted for 48.4% (48.7%), while non-CIS foreign states are responsible for 42.4% (41.6%).

Belarus' foreign trade deficit expanded to USD 5.766 billion in January-December 2013 to compare with a USD 344.5 million deficit in January-December 2012. Commodity exports decreased 19.2% year on year in January-December 2013 to USD 37.232 billion, while imports decreased 7.3% month on month to USD 43 billion.