Malta's international trade decelerates in March

Official figures issues today show a decline in Malta's international trade in March.

The National Statistics Office said that imports fell by €22.7 million and exports were down by €32.2 million.

The decrease in imports was mainly due to food, machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured articles and semi-manufactured goods.

Exports were down in the areas of machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured articles and miscellaneous transactions and commodities.

During the first three months this year, the visible trade gap widened by €46.1 million to stand at €290.4 million. This came about owing to an increase of €30.4 million in imports and a decrease of €15.6 million in exports.

Higher import values were registered for mineral fuels and lubricants, food, beverages and tobacco, chemicals and miscellaneous transactions and commodities. During this period the decrease in exports was generated primarily by machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured articles, and semi-manufactured goods, the NSO said.