The trade balance posted a deficit of TND 13,979.3 million during the first nine months of 2023, against TND 19,429.4 million during the same period last year, driven by a 7.5% rise in exports against a 3.7% fall in imports. The figures released by the National Institute of Statistics (French: INS) Tuesday in its Foreign Trade at Current Prices report also show the coverage rate rose by 8 points to 76.5%. This deficit is mainly due to the deficit posted with some countries, such as China (-TND 6224.5 million), Russia (-TND 4973.8 million), Algeria (-TND 3410.6 million), Turkey (-TND 2333.7 million), Ukraine (-TND 902.7 million) and Egypt (-TND 708.8 million). Meanwhile, the trade balance for goods posted a surplus with other countries, mainly France (TND 4094.6 million), Germany (TND 2233.4 million), Italy (TND 805.9 million) and Libya (TND 1725.7 million). Excluding energy, the trade balance deficit shrank to -TND 6372.2 million. The energy balance deficit stood at -TND 7607.1 million (54% of the total deficit) compared with -TND 7042.3 million during the first nine months of 2022. Exports up 7.5%, imports down 3.7% Tunisia’s foreign trade at current prices during the first nine months of 2023 show exports rose 7.5% compared with 25.8% during the same period in 2022, reaching TND 45459.4 million against TND 42269.4 million at the end of September 2022. Imports fell 3.7% against a 35.5% rise over the same period in 2022. In value, imports reached TND 59438.8 million against TND 61698.7 million during the first nine months of 2022. The 7.5% rise in exports was observed in several sectors. Exports of the agri-food sector grew 17%, while those of textile, clothing and leather were up 10.5%. Mechanical and electrical engineering industries followed suit (+18.3%). However, energy exports dropped 38.2% and those of mining, phosphates and derivatives fell 23.9%. The 3.7% drop in imports is the result of lower energy imports (-8.3%) and raw materials and semi-finished products (-6.4%). imports of capital and consumer goods rose by 0.1%I and 3.4% respectively.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse