Romania's agri-food trade deficit at 968.2 million euros in H1 2020

Romania was running an agri-food trade deficit of 968.2 million euros in H1 2020, down 11 percent from the 1.087 billion euro deficit registered a year ago, shows data centralized by the Ministry of Agriculture And Rural Development (MADR) made available at the request of AGERPRES.

Romania's trade balance with the EU in the first six months of the year was at a negative 1.74 billion euros, but registered a surplus of 781.4 million euros with non-EU countries.

Exports increased by 12.4 percent in H1 2020 to 3.42 billion euros, while imports increased by 6.2 percent to 4.391 billion euros.

Agri-food exports in the reporting period totaled 8.35 million tons, while imports stood at 5.28 million tons.

Of the agri-food exports to the EU and third countries, the products to bring the highest revenues were corn - with about 665.4 million euros for 3.377 million tons, followed by wheat and meslin with 507.63 million euros (2.55 million tons) and cigarillos, cigars and cigarettes, with 384.87 million euros for 22,165 tons.

At imports, fresh, chilled or frozen pork holds the first position with 292.2 million euros for 122,961 tons. Also, Romania imported in the first six months of this year 858,020 tons of corn (worth 201.03 million euros) and 76,749 tons of bakery products, pastries and biscuits worth an aggregate 166.31 million euros.

Romania registered last year a deficit of 1.225 billion euros in agri-food trade, up by over 8 percent compared to 2018, when the deficit was 1.133 billion euros, the Ministry of Agriculture said.