The trade balance fell over the year 2018, reaching a (FOB/CIF) deficit which stands at 3,457 MTD i.e 22.2%, with 19 billion dinars and 17.9% of Gross Domestic Product, giving a record that has never been reached before, the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT)revealed in its 2018 Report.
The widening is mainly the results of imports’ rise at a pace exceeding one of the exports (+20% and +19.1% respectively). The rate of coverage dropped, by 0.5 percentage point, coming to 68.3%.
As regards geographical breakdown, Tunisia’s overall trade deficit stems mainly from deficits recorded with China (-5,422 MTD), Italy (-2,890 MTD) and Turkey (-2,307 MTD).
Trade surpluses were mainly registered with France (+3,456 MTD) and Libya (+1,174 MTD).
Sectorial breakdown of exports over 2018, shows the sound performance of the manufacturing industries sector’s sales (+17%) in line, notably, with the dinar’s depreciation mainly against the euro representing thus a factor of competitiveness.
TunisianMonitorOnline
