The value of exports decreased by 1% to €6.560 billion in October from September, according to the latest seasonally adjusted figures from the Central Statistics Office today. Imports increased by 2% to €4.390 billion, the CSO added.
In September, exports had decreased by 10% from August while imports also decreased by 1%.
The unadjusted merchandise trade for October 2004 gives exports of €6.730 billion, down 9% on October 2003. Imports rose by 3% to €4.340 billion over the same period. The corresponding September trade figure was €7.218 billion for exports, down 5% on the same month last year, while imports rose by 3% to €4.154 billion.
Average figures from January to September compared with the same time in 2003 show that exports of medical and pharmaceutical products rose by 11%, professional, scientific and controlling apparatus grew by 26%, essential oils and cleansing preparations increased by 12% and electrical machinery by 10%. However, computer equipment exports fell by 10%.
Imports of other transport equipment increased from €346m to €1.071 billion during the nine months to September, the CSO said. Imports of organic chemicals increased by 28%, while petroleum and related materials grew by 19%. Imports of medical and pharmaceutical products were down 10%, while general industrial machinery and equipment imports fell by 15%.
The CSO said that exports to Belgium grew by 24% and to Italy by 10%. Exports to Germany fell by 7%, to the Netherlands by 8% and the US by 1%. Exports to the UK also fell marginally during the first nine months of the year.
Imports from China jumped by 33%, from France by 18%, from Germany by 8% and from the UK by 3%. The CSO added that imports from the US decreased by 3% and from Japan by 8%.
