Rustavi_car_market_-_rustavi.ge_Cropped

Used cars for sale at Rustavi car market near Tbilisi. (rustavi.ge.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s foreign trade turnover was USD 761 million in January 2014 according to precise data published by Georgia’s National Statistics Department, GeoStat. This is 15 percent more than in 2013.

Export was USD 224 million, which is 14 percent more than last year, while import was USD 538 million, 15 percent more than last year.

The negative trade balance was USD 314 million, which is 41 percent of the foreign trade turnover.

Trade turnover with the EU countries in January was USD 173 million, four percent less than last year. Trade turnover with Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries was USD 263 million, 29 percent more than in 2013.

Georgia’s top trade partners are Turkey, with USD 114 million or 15 percent of the total turnover. Next is Azerbaijan with USD 86 million or 11.3 percent, then China with USD 58 million or 7.6 percent, followed by Russia, Ukraine, the United States, Germany, Armenia, Bulgaria and Japan.

Used cars is the top export product as usual and accounted for USD 43 million or 19.4 percent of all export in January, followed by ferroalloys with USD 32 million or 14.3 percent of export, and nitrogenous fertilizers with USD 19 million, 9 percent of export.

Used cars was also the number one imported product in January with USD 48 million, 9 percent of import, followed by petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons – USD 47 million, 9 percent of export and oil and oil products – USD 43 million, 8 percent of import.