Following the evolution of trade characterized by a faster pace of exports than imports, Tunisia’s trade deficit of Tunisia narrowed at the end of March to stand at 3,846 million dinars, against 4,369 million during the first quarter of 2022, an improvement of 12%.
Consequently, the coverage rate gained 3.9 points compared to the same period of the year 2022, to 80.2%.
Indeed, according to figures published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), during the first quarter of the year, exports increased by 10.9% (against +26.2% in 2022) to reach 15.6 billion dinars, against 14 billion dinars during the first quarter of the year 2022.
Imports rose by 5.5% (+29.6% in 2022) to 19.4 billion dinars, from 18.4 billion dinars in the first quarter of last year.
The increase was observed in exports of the sectors of mechanical and electrical industries (+18.8%), textiles, clothing and leather (+17.8%) and food industries (+8.2%).
On the other hand, exports of the energy sector fell by 31.9% and those of mines, phosphates and derivatives by 1.6%.
On the import side, the increase comes from sales of energy products (+11.6%), consumer goods (+5%), capital goods (+3.8%), as well as raw materials and semi-finished products (+2.9%).
Moreover, the deficit comes mainly from the deficit recorded with some countries, such as China (-1.971 MD), Turkey (-720.2 MD), Algeria (-1.134 MD), Russia (-1.089 MD), Ukraine (-386.6 MD), Egypt (-307.8 MD) and Greece (-189.1 MD).
On the other hand, the balance of trade in goods shows a surplus with other countries, mainly France (1,511 MD), Germany (807.4 MD), Libya (606.2 MD) and Italy (329.2 MD).
It should be noted that the deficit of the trade balance excluding energy is reduced to 1,474 million dinars.
Thus, the energy balance deficit stands at 2,371 (62% of the total deficit), against 1,669 million dinars during the first quarter of the year 2022.
