Domestic exports up for second month

Domestic exports rose by Lm8 million to Lm64.2 million in August compared to the same month last year, the National Statistics Office said yesterday. It was the second successive month that domestic exports had risen after showing a decline between January and June.

The office said total exports increased by Lm13.8 million to Lm78.2 million from Lm64.4 million in August last year. While domestic exports rose by Lm8 million, re-exports rose by Lm5.8 million to Lm14 million.

Total imports in August were up by Lm3.5 million to Lm94.2 million.

The office said the importation of industrial supplies increased by Lm4.8 million to Lm46.6 million, imports of capital goods were up by Lm2.4 million to Lm16.1 million and imports of consumer goods rose by Lm800,000 to Lm22.6 million. Fuel imports dropped by Lm4.5 million to Lm8.9 million.

In the eight months up to August, total imports dropped by Lm29.5 million to Lm805.3 million from Lm834.8 million in the same period last year.

Imports of industrial supplies dropped by Lm29.5 million to Lm411.7 million, imports of capital goods dropped by Lm4.7 millon to Lm135.7 million and imports of consumer goods rose by Lm11.1 million to Lm192.4 million.

Fuel imports dropped by Lm6.4 million to Lm65.5 million.

Total exports in the eight months dropped by Lm1.4 million to Lm596.3 million. Domestic exports were down by Lm27.2 million to Lm512.1 million but re-exports rose by Lm25.8 million to Lm84.2 million.

The trade gap up to August contracted by Lm28.1 million to Lm209 million.