Merchandise Trade: January – March

Total imports for the period January – March rose by Lm5.3 million or 1.7 per cent to Lm310.8 million from Lm305.5 million for the same period in 2003.

Imports of industrial supplies fell by Lm14.0 million to Lm144.6 million. Importation of capital goods rose to Lm67.3 million, representing an increase of Lm16.9 million or 33.5 per cent. On the other hand consumer goods imports dropped marginally by Lm0.7 million from Lm69.6 million to Lm68.9 million. Fuel imports increased by Lm3.1 million.

In the period under review, total exports rose by Lm14.2 million or 6.4 per cent to Lm235.2 million from Lm221.0 million. There was a 7.5 per cent increase in domestic exports from Lm192.8 million in January – March 2003 to Lm207.3 million in the same period this year. On the other hand, re-exports show a marginal drop of Lm0.3 million or 1.1 per cent from Lm28.2 million to Lm27.9 million.

Visible Trade Gap

In the first three months of 2004, the visible trade gap narrowed by Lm7.8 million to Lm76.7 million from Lm84.5 million in the same period last year.

Direction of Trade

During the first three months of this year, the EU remained Malta’s main trading partner. In fact, imports from the EU reached Lm217.6 million, representing 70 per cent of total imports. Imports from Asia totalled Lm51.5 million, or 16.6 per cent, while those from America stood at Lm23.0 million, or 7.4 per cent.

Total exports to the EU for the

period January – March 2004 amounted to Lm104.1 million, representing 44.3 per cent of the total figure for exports. Exports to Asia stood at Lm59.7 million, or 25.4 per cent, while those to America reached Lm40.3 million, or 17.1 per cent.