Slight decline in the trade deficit of Tunisia during the first quarter

The trade deficit of Tunisia decreased slightly during the first quarter of 2013, compared to the same period last year, reaching -2,418.9 million dinars (MD) is currently the MD against -2613.1 previous year. According to data released by the National Statistics Institute (INS), the rate of coverage of imports by lesexportations thus, gained 3.2 percentage points reaching 74.3% in the first quarter of 2013 against 71.1% in the same period in 2012.

The results of the Tunisian trade in janvier to March 2013 show a stagnation of exports (8.5% against 9.1% in 2012) in addition to a sharp decline in imports, which grew by only 3.9% against 20.7% during the same period last year. In this regard, exports reached 6,983.1 6,438.2 against MD MD in 2012. As for imports, they rose from 9051.3 MD, between January and March 2012, MD 9402, during the same period in 2013.

According to the analysis of the INS, the increase in exports is due in particular to the increase in sales outside of agricultural and food products (32.5%) like olive oil (328.9 against 125.8 MD MD) of various manufacturing industries (16.6%), phosphates and derivatives (14%) and textile and leather clothing (5.4%).

The INS, however, said the decline in exports in the energy sector by 0.7% due to lower sales of refined (9.9%), petroleum products, from 310.9 to 280.2 MD MD. However, with also recorded levels of imports of energy products by 7.7%, due to reduced purchases of Tunisia refined petroleum products and natural gas decline, the deficit in the energy balance decreased by 112 , MD 7, reaching 506.4 MTD.

As for other purchases Tunisia, they increased by 41.8% for food products including purchases of wheat (74.3 against 217.5 MD MD), and for imports of raw materials and products semi-finished products (5.1%) and non-food consumer products (5.3%) and this against a decline in imports of mobile equipment (3.4%) Regarding trade between Tunisia and the European Union, its main trading partner, they were up 6.6% for exports and 4.8% for imports.

This increase was particularly concerned Tunisian exports to the Netherlands and Spain respectively up 60.4% and 73.5% against a decline in sales to France and Italy, respectively, 2.2% and 0, 8%. The latter two countries are still the leading provider of Tunisia with shares of the country’s imports of 20.1% in France and 14.2% in Italy. Tunisia’s exports to Arab countries showed a slight improvement, particularly with Algeria (1.5%), Egypt (1.5%) and Libya (0.3). In 2012, the trade deficit of Tunisia is particularly aggravated reaching 8603.5 against MD 11635 MD, in 2011.