Baku, Azerbaijan, October 8
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
The total volume of Georgian exports increased by 7 percent from January to September 2019 compared to the same period of 2018, from $2.44 million in 2018 to $2.61 million in 2019, Trend reports referring to the Georgian National Statistical Office (Geostat).
While the total volume of the exports increased, agricultural exports and imports, as well as total imports, declined.
Total imports decreased by 6 percent from $6.69 million in 2018 to $6.29 million in 2019. Meanwhile, the agricultural exports declined by 13 percent and agricultural imports decreased by 12 percent.
According to the latest statistics, from January to September 2019, wine held first place within Georgian agricultural export products . The share of wine in total agricultural exports was 22 percent.
Mineral waters stand at second place with respective shares of 14 percent. Alcoholic spirits (except for wine) rank third with respective shares of 11 percent.
The top ten agricultural products also include cigarettes (6 percent), hazelnuts (5 percent).
After the extremely successful export years of 2013-2016, when hazelnut exports averaged $176 million, the average export value was just $76 million in the last two years (2017 and 2018). Since this from January to September, hazelnut exports have reached just $32 million, said the report.
For the top agricultural import products, wheat keeps its traditional first place, constituting 8 percent of total agricultural imports. Wheat is followed by poultry (4 percent).
Other major imported products are chocolate, bread, pastry and cakes.
(1 USD= 2.96 GEL on October 8)