MaltaMedia.com

Preliminary figures published by the National Statistics Office (NSO) show that the trade deficit widened by €19.0 million, reaching €75.6 million, in September when compared to the corresponding month last year.

NSO said that decreases were recorded in both imports and exports of €8.5 million and €27.6 million respectively. The decrease in the value of imports was primarily due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials. Other decreases were registered in beverages and tobacco, miscellaneous manufactured articles, semi-manufactured goods, crude materials, and animal and vegetable oils and fats. Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials accounted for the main decrease in exports. Other decreases in exports include machinery and transport equipment, semi-manufactured goods, beverages and tobacco, crude materials, and miscellaneous transactions and commodities.

During the nine-month period under review, the trade deficit narrowed by €64.2 million, to €1,395.8 million. The decrease in imports of €470.2 million was mainly due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, with other decreases recorded for all other major commodity groups. Exports registered a decrease in value of €406.0 million, which was primarily due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials. Other decreases were noted for machinery and transport equipment, semi-manufactured goods, miscellaneous manufactured articles, miscellaneous transactions and commodities, crude materials, and beverages and tobacco.

A substantial amount of Malta’s trade flows and consequent trade deficit continued to be directed towards the European Union (Table 3). Increases were registered in imports from the Netherlands and Belgium, while decreases were noted from Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Exports to the euro area declined, mainly to France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Belgium, while increases in exports were recorded for United Arab Emirates, Libya, India, Saudi Arabia and China.