Both imports and exports show decreases of €483.4 million and €719.8 million respectively in 2017, according to figures released on Friday by the National Statistics Office.
Lower imports were mainly due to machinery and transport equipment, which decreased by €631.3 million. This was partly outweighed by increases of €71.2 million in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, €49.2 million in chemicals, and €42.7 million in food.
On the exports side, the main decreases were registered in chemicals (€581.9 million) and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (€152.8 million).
During 2017, the trade deficit widened by €236.4 million when compared to 2016, reaching €2,723.7 million.
Malta’s trade imports from the European Union reached €3,174.4
million, or 53.5 per cent of total imports. There was a decrease of €58.1 million in imports from euro area countries when compared to the same period of 2016. Main increases and decreases in imports were registered from the Russian Federation (€96.2 million) and Canada (€342.4 million) respectively. On the export side, the
main increase was directed to Italy (€44.7 million), whereas the United States of America (€612.3 million) registered the highest decrease.