Argentina recorded a trade balance of USD 356 million in May, the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) reported on Wednesday (22.06.2022/XNUMX/XNUMX).
This result was achieved through a 20,7% year-on-year increase in exports, totaling USD 8.226 billion, compared to a 53% increase in imports, which reached 7.870 billion.
Trade (exports plus imports) increased by 34,6% compared to the same month last year, reaching a record level of USD 16.096 billion. The trade balance was USD 1.316 million lower than the same month of the previous year, a period in which a surplus of 1.672 billion dollars was recorded.
In May, the exports increased un 20,7% higher than the same period last year. This was “due to a 22% increase in prices, as quantities fell by 1%,” INDEC said. In seasonally adjusted terms, exports fell by 6,3% and the cycle trend grew by 0,7% compared to April 2022.”
Within this indicator, all sectors registered increases: fuels and energy (+33,7%); agricultural manufactures (+29,4%); industrial manufactures (+17,6%) and primary products (+8,6%).
Meanwhile, imports reached a rise of 53,11% compared to the figure reported in the previous month. According to INDEC, this historical maximum occurred "as a consequence of a 23,5% increase in prices and a 23,6% increase in quantities."
All economic uses registered positive variations: fuels and lubricants (+226,7%); capital goods (+40,0%); parts and accessories for capital goods (+36,9%); intermediate goods (+36,0%); passenger motor vehicles (+24,8%); other goods, 23,5%, mainly due to the increase in goods shipped by postal services (couriers); and consumer goods (+23,3%).
In this way, in the first five months of the yearArgentina accumulated a surplus of USD 3.196 million, compared to the positive balance of USD 5.672 million in the same period of 2021.
In the first five months, the country exported USD 35.917 billion, up 26,6% year-on-year, and imported USD 32.722 billion, up 44,2% compared to the same period in 2021.
Main export and import countries
In this five-month period, Argentine exports were Brazil, United States, Chile, China, India, Netherlands, Vietnam, Indonesia, Peru and Algeria, in that order, which together accounted for 55,2% of total foreign sales.
Meanwhile, the main countries of origin of imports were China, Brazil, United States, Germany, Paraguay, Mexico, Thailand, India, Vietnam and Bolivia, which accounted for 69,2% of total foreign purchases. (Argentine trade, estimated figures for May 2022, INDEC)
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