Canada Revealed as Georgia’s Top Trade Partner in 2016

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (GEOSTAT) released preliminary data on Friday about external merchandise trade in 2016, which shows that Canada was the top trade partner of Georgia last year, followed by Turkey and Russia.

GEOSTAT data reads that in 2016, external merchandise trade in Georgia amounted to $11966 million, 20 percent higher year-on-year.

The exports equaled $2114 million (4 percent lower), while the imports stood at $ 9852 million (27 percent higher).

The negative trade balance was $7738 million in 2016 and its share in external trade turnover constituted 65 percent. Export excluding re-export amounted to $1658 million, 1 percent higher year-on-year.

In 2016, the external trade turnover of Georgia with European Union (EU) countries amounted to $3601 million, growing by 14 percent compared to the corresponding indicator of the previous year. Exports amounted to $571 million (12 percent lower), while imports amounted to $3030 million (20 percent higher).

In 2016, the external trade turnover of Georgia with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries totaled $2721 million (lower by 3 percent compared to 2015). Exports stood at $739 million (12 percent lower), while imports equaled $1983 million (1 percent higher).

The top ten trading partners in the total external trade turnover of Georgia amounted to 68 percent in 2016.

Georgia’s main exports in 2016 were: copper ores and concentrates (worth $312 million, or 15 percent of total exports), nuts (worth $179 million, or nine percent of total exports) and ferro-alloys (worth $169 million, or eight percent of total exports).

As for the main imports of 2016, they were: medicines (worth $2.89 billion, or 29 percent of total imports), petroleum and petroleum oils (worth $619 million, or six percent of total imports) and motor cars (worth $473 million, or five percent of total imports).

Thea Morrison