The National Statistics Office has said that provisional data for international trade show that the visible trade gap in March stood at €67.0 million, down by €51.0 million when compared to the corresponding month in 2010. There were increases in imports and exports of €19.5 million and €70.5 million respectively. The increase in imports was due to industrial supplies and fuels and lubricants, while decreases was registered in consumer goods and capital goods. Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials accounted for the main increase in exports when compared to the corresponding month in 2010. Other increases were registered in machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, crude materials and semi-manufactured goods. Decreases were registered in miscellaneous manufactured articles, food and miscellaneous transactions and commodities.

In the first three months this year, the visible trade gap narrowed by €49.6 million to stand at €224.2 million. This was due to increases in imports and exports of €165.1 million and €214.7 million respectively, when compared to the corresponding period in 2010. The increase in imports was due to industrial supplies, fuels and lubricants, capital goods and consumer goods. During this period the rise in exports was primarily due to mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials. Other increases were noted in machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, miscellaneous manufactured articles, semi-manufactured goods, crude materials and beverages and tobacco. Decreases were registered in food, and miscellaneous transactions and commodities.

The bulk of Malta’s trade flows and consequent trade deficit continued to be directed towards the European Union. Increases were registered in imports from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy, while drops were recorded from the Netherlands and Spain. Exports to the euro area show an increase, mainly to Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, with other significant increases being recorded for China, Singapore and Turkey.

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