Page Seven / La Paz
Bolivian exports in 2021 reached 11,030 million dollars, 57% more than in 2020 and the country registered a trade surplus after six years, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Imports to December showed an increase of 34% and totaled 9,559 million dollars.
“The trade balance registered an accumulated surplus of 1,471 million dollars, contrary to the same period in 2020, when there was a deficit of -82 million dollars. It is worth highlighting the positive recovery of the trade balance in relation to the deficit registered in the last six years”, specified the INE.
The manager of the National Chamber of Commerce (CNC), Gustavo Jáuregui, highlighted the trade balance achieved in 2021 and pointed out that the largest surplus was recorded by gold and zinc exports.
“Gold exports to India have reached 1,600.9 million dollars, followed by Japan with 730.5 million dollars, in which foreign sales of zinc and silver stand out. Likewise, exports of soybean cake and oil to Colombia, which registered 539.7 million dollars,” he pointed out.
He explained that as CNC a good year was projected in 2021 and the figures show the importance of foreign trade as a factor that contributes to the economic reactivation.
“To guarantee the sustainability of foreign trade indicators, work must be done on measures that will strengthen logistics, which at the global level has been trying to recover from the crisis generated by the pandemic,” he specified.
positive figures
For the manager of the Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE), Gary Rodríguez, the surplus achieved is good news for the country. “Exports are growing as well as imports, but this is not bad, because more than 60% of foreign purchases are capital goods, supplies, transport equipment that help produce goods and services for the internal and external markets,” he indicated. .
The positive is also that the surplus allows strengthening the Net International Reserves, he added.
According to INE data, metallic gold exports grew by 105.8% and reached 2,530.9 million dollars.
It is noteworthy that this product displaced natural gas in sales, which only achieved sales of 2,233 million dollars, 12.2% less. Mineral sales totaled 2,645 million dollars, 20% more.
In this sector, the sale of zinc stands out with 1,381 million dollars and silver with 868 million dollars.
Exports of soy derivatives totaled 1,320 million dollars, 70.2% more than in 2021.
“Comparatively, the increase in exports of the manufacturing industry is explained by the increase in exports of granulated urea, whose percentage variation represents 541.7% and adds up to 30.6 million dollars,” highlighted the INE.
