Serbian ten-month exports up 27.2 pct y-o-y, imports up 36.1 pct y-oy

BELGRADE - Serbia's overall external trade rose by 32.3 pct y-o-y to 53.69 bln euros between January and October, with exports up by 27.2 pct and imports up by 36.1 pct, according to figures released by the national statistical office RZS.

Exports in the period totalled 22.39 bln euros, while imports totalled 31.29 bln euros, resulting in an 8.90 bln euro deficit, which was a 65.6 pct increase y-o-y.

The export-import ratio was 71.4 pct, down from 76.6 pct in the same period of last year.

The Vojvodina region accounted for most of Serbia's exports (34.4 pct), while the Belgrade region had the largest share of the imports (43.3 pct).

External trade was the highest with countries with which Serbia has free trade agreements, and EU member states accounted for 58.8 pct of the total.

Germany remained Serbia's single largest trade partner in terms of exports, with China as the top partner when it comes to imports.

Exports to Germany totalled 3.11 bln euros, while imports from China stood at 3.98 bln euros, the RZS said.

In October alone, exports rose by 22.4 pct y-o-y to 2.41 bln euros, while imports increased by 29.9 pct y-o-y to 3.36 bln euros.

According to seasonally adjusted figures, October exports were up by 0.4 pct m-o-m while imports were up by 4.3 pct m-o-m.