OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 September 2009 was announced, that operations with intermediate materials make up 81% of the Belarusian foreign trade deficit, Viktor Mikhno, the deputy chief of the National Statistics Committee, told reporters.

“The deficit is formed for the most part by intermediate commodities, especially energy carriers, such as oil products, oil, natural and liquefied gas, electrical power, and other intermediate materials, like metals, vehicles, fertilizers, tires, and chemicals,” Mikhno said.

“Energy makes up 36.4% of Belarusian exports and 39.3% of imports. Energy also accounts for 52.6% of Belarusian exports of intermediate products and 54.1% of imports,” the official said.

In January-June, Belarusian exports of energy commodities, especially refined oil, amounted to U.S. USD 3.3 billion, less than 50% of exports in the first six months of 2008.

“The fall was due to the reduction in average export prices, which more than halved. In terms of tonnes, exports rose 6%,” Mikhno said.

Imports of energy commodities in the first half of the year totaled USD 5.1 billion, down 35.2% on the year. Crude oil imports reached USD 3.1 billion, and natural gas imports totaled USD 1.3 billion. Crude prices fell 1.8 times, whereas gas price hiked 50%.

Average export prices for other intermediate goods fell 18.6% on the year in January-June, and import prices decreased 19.7%.