Malta's trade deficit stood at €204.5 million in January, with imports declining significantly when compared to the same month the previous year.
The €204.5 million gap between imports and exports registered that month was €134.7 million smaller than that in January 2017, when the country had registered a €339.2 million trade deficit.
The decrease in the value of imports was primarily due to machinery and transport equipment (€105.7 million), the National Statistics Office said, while machinery and transport equipment (€9.2 million) and food (€8.7 million) accounted to the
main increase in the value of exports.
Imports from other European Union member states were €87.6 million higher than in January 2017 and reached €332.4 million in January this year, amounting to 69.7 per cent of all imports.
Belgian imports were the biggest gainer, rising by €61.1 million, while those from Canada fell by €50.1 million.
Exports to Italy rose by €27.2 million, with those to the US down by €3.8 million.