Foreign trade turnover down

Georgia’s foreign trade turnover fell by almost 30% in 2009 compared with the previous year. Today it is just over USD 5 billion, with exports around 1 billion and imports around 4 billion. Accordingly export and import figures have both declined and Georgia now has a trade deficit of over USD 3 billion.

Ferroalloys is the leading Georgian export item, worth USD 130 million, then comes raw and semi-processed gold at USD 116 million. In import items the leader is oil and oil products at USD 555 million, then automobiles at USD 254 million and pharmaceutical goods at USD 175 million.

Georgia’s biggest trade partner is Turkey. Turnover with Turkey exceeded USD 1 billion last year. Next comes Azerbaijan at USD 544 million, then Ukraine at USD 502 million, Germany, Russia, the USA, Bulgaria, China, Italy and Canada.