Tunisia’s trade balance deficit has continued its downward trend. During the first four months of 2021, it stood at – 4420.7 million dinars (MD), from – 4844.5 MD recorded during the same period of the year 2020, that is to say an improvement of 423.8 MD, according to a note on “Trade at current prices April 2021” published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) Friday.
This improvement is explained by the increase in exports (+21.4%) and imports (+13%). The coverage rate has therefore gained 5.4 points to 77.5%, from 72.1%, at the end of April 2020.
Under the general regime, trade is in deficit of -8987.8 MD (-7709.1 MD in 2020), while it is in surplus under the offshore regime by 4567.1 MD (+2864.6 MD in 2020).
Exports saw an increase of (+21.4%) at the end of April 2021, against a fall of (-20.6%) during the four months of the year 2020. They reached 15,201 MD, against 12521,2 MD during the same period of 2020.
The INS explains this rise, on the one hand by the increase recorded in the sectors of the textiles/clothing and leathers (35%), mechanical and electrical industries (34,1%), and on the other hand by the sector of manufacturing industries (34,3%), as well as that of the whole of the products by 21,4%.
On the other hand, the sector of the agriculture and the food-processing industries recorded a fall of (-5,5%). Similarly, the sector of energy and lubricants has dropped by (- 27.5%) and that of mines, phosphates and derivatives by (-2.2%).
Imports increase by 13%
Imports saw an increase of +13%, against a decline of 21.5% during the four months of the year 2020. In value, imports have reached 19,621.7 MD, against 17,365.8 MD during the same period of the year 2020.
This rise is explained by the increase recorded in imports of the sector of the mines, phosphates and derivatives by 35,1%, that of the mechanical and electrical industries by 23,7% and that of the agriculture and the food-processing industries by 16,9%.
Similarly, imports of textiles / clothing and leather have risen by 21.3%.
On the other hand, the imports of the sector of energy and lubricants dropped (-19,7%), at the end of April 2021.
