Zimbabwe exported goods worth US$540 million in January and imported goods worth US$692.7 million during the same period.
This left a trade deficit of US$152.4 million, which was 43 percent narrower than December’s gap of US$266.3 million.
Zimbabwe’s key exports remain commodities:• Tobacco (24.5%) • Gold (24.2%) • Nickel ores and concentrates (11.9%) nickel mattes (10.2%) [PGMs]
The country’s biggest imports were: Fuel (19%) • Machinery (11.8%) • Cereals, which include private maize imports by millers (8.4%) • Cars (8.3%).
In recent years, Zimbabwe has run systemic trade deficits due to decline in exports.
Zimbabwe is a net importer of fuel and capital goods. Main export is tobacco (23 percent of total exports). Others include nickel (20 percent), diamonds and platinum.
Zimbabwe’s main trading partners are South Africa and China.
Zwnews
