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Income of Tunisian exports recorded during the 1st half of 2016, a decline of 1.3% to reach $ 14,255.3 billion dinars (MTD), against 14,437.8 MD, during the same period 2015, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS).
Imports fell of 1.5% reaching $ 20,289.4 MD, against 20,606.9 MD during the same period in 2015.
According to the same source, this situation caused a slight decline of the trade deficit, which reached 6,034.1MD against 6.169,1 MD during the same period in 2015.
Imports by exports coverage rate has slightly stabilized reaching 70.3%, against 70.1% during the same period in 2015.
INS explained this decline in exports at the end of June 2016, by the decline in exports of agricultural and food sector by 36% due to fall of olive oil sales, during this period compared with the same period of 2015 (442.8MD against 1.287,8 MD).
Exports in the energy sector fell by 50.1% due to lower exports of refined products (168.7MD against 552.2MD).
In another connection, exports of phosphate and derivatives continued to grow, recording during the 1st half of 2016 a rise by 93.6% due to the increase in exports of phosphoric acids. (332.3 MTD against 108.7 MD) in addition to increase of exports of the sector of mechanical and electrical industries by 11.7% and the textile / clothing sector of 4.6%.
According to the INS, the decline recorded in imports (1.5%) is explained by the decrease in the energy sector imports by 33.9% due to lower crude oil purchases (213. 8MD, against 504.8MD) and basic agricultural products by 15.5% due to the decline in durum purchases (303.9MD against 411.2MD).
© Tunis-Afrique Presse 2016
