MECMA: 76 pct of Romania’s exports are manufactured goods
As much as 76.6 percent of Romania’s total exports were manufactured goods, while the weight of the machine-building and means of transportation industries was just 41.8 percent in the first two months of 2012, according to data released on Friday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business Milieu (MECMA).
According to operative data released by the National Statistics Institute (INS), Romania’s FOB exports in the first quarter of 2012 stood at 10.997 billion euros, down 0.4 percent from the first quarter of 2011. Imports in the same period stood at 12.7 billion euros, up 1.1 percent from the first three months of 2011. In March 2012 compared with February 2012, exports advanced 14.4 percent when stated in euros.
The geographical orientation toward the European Union was maintained, with 72.4 percent of exports going there and 73.7 percent of imports coming from there. In March 2012, exports to the EU member states exceeded exports to outside the EU.
The non-EU destinations where significant rises were recorded are the US – up 13.1 percent, mainly automotive components, fertilisers and chemicals; Brazil – up 147.5 percent – mainly automobiles and automotive components, rolling stock and oil equipment; Mexico – up over 50.3 percent – mainly tires, floor carpets, various iron products, optical devices, automotive accessories; Egypt – up 132.2 percent – mainly cereals and timber; Algeria – up 105.1 percent – mainly automotive components, oil equipment, metallurgical goods; Ukraine – up 17.2 percent – mainly minerals, electrical machinery and equipment, automobiles and automotive components; South Korea – up over 123.7 percent – mainly electrical appliances, machinery and equipment and wood products; as well as Japan – up 71.1 percent – mainly wood, coal and wood products.
In the case of other countries, the rise in exports was over 40 percents. Exports to Tunisia increased by 179.3 percent; exports to Morocco were up 54.9 percent, while exports to Australia were up 40.9 percent.
The main products making up the bulk of Romanian exports are automotive parts and components (8.18 percent), which went up by 46.12 percent from the similar period of 2011; petrol oils others than raw oils (14.90 percent), with an increase rate of 5.38 percent in annual terms; automobiles and other motor vehicles (5.46 percent), up 52.39 percent from the same period of 2011; rubber tires (1.7 percent), up 8.10 percent and flat laminated iron and steel products (3.43 percent), up 15.44 percent in annual terms.