Total imports rose in the first five months of the year by 8.1% to €3.1bn with the value of goods imported from other European Union countries falling 8.7% to €1.9bn compared to the respective period of 2016, Cystat said in a statement on its website on Monday. Imports from third countries rose 52% to €1.2bn.

Exports in January to May fell an annual 14% to over €1bn, Cystat said. Exports to other EU countries dropped 46% to €407.7m while those to third countries rose 39% to €617.9m.

The above figures include the import of transport equipment, ships and aircraft, worth €887.7m and €623.3m in the first five months of both 2016 and this year respectively as well as export of transport equipment worth €533.4m and €139.6m also respectively.

Excluding the import and export equipment, total imports rose an annual 25% to below €2.5bn and exports 33% to €886.1m, according to the Cystat figures. The trade deficit excluding ships and aircraft rose 21% to €1.6bn.

Source: Cyprus Mail