BiH reports foreign trade deficit of 4.12 bln USD in first seven months

SARAJEVO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — Foreign trade deficit in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) reached 7.25 billion KM (4.12 billion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of 2024, up 22.5 percent over the same period in 2023, according to data released by the Agency for Statistics of BiH on Tuesday.
From January to July, BiH’s exports totaled 9.36 billion KM, a decrease of 7.1 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Imports, on the other hand, rose by 3.9 percent, reaching 16.62 billion KM.
The agency said that BiH’s exports to European Union countries amounted to 6.96 billion KM, a 6.4 percent decrease from the same period last year, while imports from the EU increased by 6.3 percent, totaling 9.94 billion KM.
In July, an expert from the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina said the trends of a decline in exports and an increase in imports in the country reflected a broader economic situation in Europe, impacting not only BiH but also other countries in the region. (1 KM = 0.57 U.S. dollar) ■