August 18 (SeeNews) - Albania's trade deficit increased by 8.3% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2022, reaching 235 billion leks ($2.04 billion/2.01 billion euro), the national statistical office said on Thursday.
Exports rose 40.1% on the year to 293 billion leks in the period under review, while imports increased 23.9% to 528 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In July alone, Albania's trade deficit totalled 42 billion leks, up 6.9% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner in the January-July period, absorbing Albanian exports of 134 billion leks and providing 122.9 billion leks worth of imports to the country.
Albania exported mainly textile and footwear, construction materials and metals and minerals, fuels and electricity.
(1 euro = 116.811 leks)