LITHUANIAN EXPORTS AND IMPORTS INCREASED BY 28.4% AND 18% IN 2008
Lithuanian Department of Statistics reports that exports and imports increased by, respectively, 28.4 % and 18 % in 2008. Exports of goods of Lithuanian origin in 2008 against 2007 grew by 31.3 %.
Lithuanian exports in 2008 totalled EUR 16 billion in terms of commodity value, while imports equalled EUR 21 billion.
The major impact on the growth of exports was made by the increase in exports of petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (2.5 times), fertilisers (by 65.1 %), and cereals (2.1 times). Imports grew due to the increasing imports of crude petroleum and natural gas (2.4 times), natural calcium phosphates and crude or unrefined sulphur (3.8 times), railway or tramway locomotives, rolling stock and parts thereof (3.4 times).
In 2008, the most important partners in exports were Russia (16.1 %), Latvia (11.6 %), Germany (7.2 %) and Poland (5.8 %). The most important partners in imports were Russia (30.1 %), Germany (11.7 %), Poland (10 %) and Latvia (5.2 %).
In 2008, the most significant share in exports fell within mineral products (25 %), machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipment (10.6 %), and products of the chemical or allied industries (9.7 %). The most significant share in imports fell within mineral products (29.7 %), machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipment (14.2 %), and vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment (12.1 %).
