OREANDA-NEWS. March 26, 2012. Belarus’ foreign commodity trade surplus amounted to USD 126.1 million in January 2012, compared to a USD 739.9 billion deficit in January 2011, according to the National Statistics Committee.

Exports rose 90% in January 2012 year-on-year to USD 3.405 billion, and imports increased 30% to USD 3.279 billion.

Exports from Belarus included USD 1.406 billion worth of supplies to CIS states, up 34% on the year, including exports to Russia, which stood at USD 991.8 billion, up 17.5%, and to Kazakhstan at USD 49 million, up 72.6%.

Exports to foreign countries other than the CIS states amounted to USD 1.999 billion as of February 1, 2012, up 170% on the year.

Belarusian imports from CIS countries rose 68.4% to USD 2.326 billion, including imports from Russia at USD 2.202 billion, up 79% on the year, and from Kazakhstan at USD 10.7 million, down 24.3%.

Imports from foreign countries other than the CIS states went down 16.4% on the year to USD 953 million.

The deficit of commodity trade with CIS countries came to USD 919.5 million, up 180% on the year in January 2012. The deficit of commodity trade with Russia expanded 210% year-on-year in January 2012 to USD 1.21 billion. In trade with Kazakhstan, Belarus showed a USD 38.3 million surplus, up 170%.

The surplus of foreign trade with countries outside the CIS reached USD 1.046 billion in January 2012, compared to a USD 408.1 million deficit in January 2011.

The CIS accounted for 55.8% of Belarus’ trade turnover in January 2012, Russia accounted for 47.8%, while non-CIS foreign states are responsible for 44.2%.