Georgia’s Foreign Trade in January-March 2019

Georgia’s foreign trade turnover in the first three months of 2019 decreased by 0.1%, compared to the same period last year, amounting to USD 2.8 billion, according to the preliminary figures released by the National Statistics Office, Geostat, on April 19.

Exports from Georgia were up by 12.8% year-on-year to USD 826 million, and imports were down by 4.7% y/y to USD 2 billion in January-March. The trade gap stood at USD 1.2 billion.

Trade turnover with the European Union (EU) member states stood at USD 698.1 million, which is a 14.9% decrease over the same period of last year. Exports from Georgia to the EU-member states decreased by 6.4% y/y to USD 196 million, while imports constituted USD 502.2 million, which is 17.8% lower than last year.

Trade turnover with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) increased by 2.4% y/y to USD 992.2 million. Georgia’s exports to CIS countries were up by 37.4% y/y to USD 416.1 million and imports decreased by 13.5% to USD 576.1 million.

Turkey remains Georgia’s largest trading partner with USD 373.3 million in January-March of 2019, followed by Russia, Azerbaijan, China and Ukraine with USD 327 million, USD 272.5 million, USD 257.1 million and USD 136.7 million, respectively.

They are followed by Armenia with trade turnover of USD 135.2 million; United States – USD 134.4 million; Germany – USD 105.5 million; Bulgaria – USD 97.7 million; Romania – USD 90.8 million.

Russia tops the list of largest trading partners by exports with USD 135.4 million, followed by Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Armenia and Ukraine with USD 84.9 million, USD 68.1 million, USD 63.1 million and USD 62.3 million, respectively.

Turkey, China, Russia, Azerbaijan and United States are the top trading partners of Georgia in terms of imports with USD 316 million, USD 221.8 million, USD 191.7 million, USD 187.6 million and USD 94 million, respectively.

Copper ores and concentrates are on top of the list of export commodities with USD 135.6 million, followed by re-export of cars – USD 99.1 million; ferroalloys – USD 95.6 million; medicines – USD 52.4 million; wine – USD 49 million; nitrogen fertilizers – USD 35.4 million; mineral waters – USD 29.8 million; spirits – USD 26 million; cigarettes – USD 20.3 million; gold – USD 16.6 million; other commodities – USD 266.4 million.

Petroleum and petroleum oils are on top of the list of import commodities with USD 150.4 million, followed by petroleum gases – USD 131.5 million; copper ores and concentrates – USD 120.2 million; cars – USD 119 million; medicines – USD 89.3 million; mobile and other wireless phones – USD 39 million; electricity – USD 23 million; wheat – USD 22.8 million; tires – USD 22.4 million; cigarettes – USD 16.9 million; other commodities – USD 1.2 billion.

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