MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. Russia’s foreign trade surplus for January-April 2024 increased by 18.8% year-on-year to $50.5 billion, the Federal Customs Service reported.
Exports fell by 0.3% to $135.1 billion, while imports decreased by 9% to $84.6 billion.
Exports to European countries fell by almost 40%, amounting to $21 billion, imports decreased by 19.2%, to $22.2 billion.
In the reporting period, Russia increased exports to Asian countries by 11% to $101.4 billion, imports from these countries decreased by 3% to $56.6 billion.
Exports to African countries increased by 32% to $7.8 billion, while imports decreased by 4.5%, to $1.1 billion.
Russian exports to the countries of North and South America increased by 39.6% to $4.8 billion, imports from these countries decreased by 18.9% to $4.5 billion.
In the structure of exports, the largest share was occupied by products of the fuel and energy sector. In the reporting period their exports increased by 2.6% to $84.7 billion. Metals and metal products ranked second with their exports decreasing by 4.4% to $17.7 billion. Third place was taken by agricultural products. Their exports amounted to $14.2 billion, which is down 4.8% year-on-year.
The largest import items were machinery, equipment and vehicles. In January-April these imports decreased by 4.2%, amounting to $42.8 billion. Imports of chemical industry decreased by 19.8% to $16 billion, imports of agricultural products fell by 8.6% to $11.5 billion.