The trade balance registered a positive balance of 809 million dollars in February, the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (Indec) reported on Wednesday.
In this way, the total amount of commercial exchange amounted to 12,077 million dollars in February, equivalent to 43% more than in the same period of 2021.
Exports rose 34.9% compared to the same month of 2021 (1,668 million dollars), due to an increase of 20.4% in prices and 12.0% in quantities.
#DatoINDEC
Foreign trade: in February 2022, exports grew 34.9% year-on-year, and imports, 51.7%. The balance showed a surplus of US$ 809 million https://t.co/AjZQgT2A0v pic.twitter.com/zqNO612kcW— INDEC Argentina (@INDECArgentina) March 23, 2022
In February, exports totaled 6,443 million dollars, while imports were 5,634 million dollars.
Meanwhile, imports increased 51.7% compared to the same month of the previous year (1,921 million dollars), as a result of a rise of 27.6% in quantities and 18.3% in prices.
In imports, all economic uses also registered positive variations, except passenger motor vehicles, which fell 23.7%; while fuels and lubricants (CyL) rose 420.8%; consumer goods (BC), 43.0%; parts and accessories for capital goods (PyA), 40.3%; and intermediate goods (BI), 38.8%.
For its part, in the first two months of the year, exports they reached US$ 11,991 million and imports, 10,886 million; thus, the commercial exchange increased 32.7% and reached a value of 22,877 million; and the trade balance recorded a surplus of 1,106 million. In the first two months of 2022, exports grew 23.8% (US$ 2,304 million) as a result of increases in quantities (2.2%) and prices (21.1%). Meanwhile, imports increased 44.1% (US$ 3,330 million) due to a rise of 24.1% in quantities and 16.1% in prices. For big itemsIn exports, the growth of 73.7% (US$ 1,586 million) stood out, mainly due to higher sales of cereals; also oil seeds and fruits; and unprocessed vegetables and legumes; while unprocessed fish and shellfish; and metalliferous ores, slags and ashes recorded declines. Regarding imports, rises were observed in almost all economic uses, due to the rise registered by capital goods, excluding transportation equipment –which increased by US$341 million-; while computers and telephones followed in importance with a rise of 162 million. Taking into account the sum of exports and imports, in the first two months of 2022, the main trading partners were China, Brazil and the United States, in that order. Exports to China they added US$ 775 million and imports, 2,779 million; with a deficit trade balance of US$ 2,004 million. While, exports to Brazil they reached US$ 1,468 million and imports, 2,054 million; with a trade deficit of 586 million. Finally, exports to the United States they added US$ 823 million and imports reached 835 million, which shows a negative balance of 12 million. Together, these three partners absorbed 25.6% of Argentina’s exports and supplied 52.1% of imports. For its part, with Mercosur -which accounted for 15.4% of total Argentine exports and 21.4% of imports- a deficit of US$ 478 million was recorded, the second largest among those observed with the different countries and economic blocs, after that recorded with China. Exports totaled US$ 1,850 million; 55 million decreased compared to the same period in 2021; and imports increased 519 million.
