Croatia's commodity exports in the first six months of 2019 totalled HRK 54.4 billion, up 5.1% on the year, while imports went up 6.8% to HRK 92.9 billion, according to first estimates presented by the national statistical office (DZS) on Friday.

The foreign trade deficit was HRK 38.5 billion, nearly HRK 3.2 billion higher than in the corresponding period of 2018.

The export-import ratio dropped annually from 59.5% in the first six months of 2018 to 58.6% in H1 2019.

Commodity exports to EU member states totalled HRK 36.8 billion, up 3.6% on the year, and HRK 17.6 billion to non-EU countries, up 8.4%.

Commodity imports from EU member states increased 10% to HRK 75.6 billion, while those from non-EU countries decreased 5.4%% to HRK 17.3 billion.

Expressed in euros, Croatia’s commodity exports totalled EUR 7.3 billion, up 5.3% on the year, while imports went up 7% to EUR 12.5 billion in the 2019 H1.

The foreign trade deficit stood at EUR 5.2 billion, up from the EUR 4.7 billion in the 2018 H1.

Commodity exports to EU member states totalled EUR 4.96 billion, up 3.8% on the year, and EUR 2.4 billion to non-EU countries, up 8.5%.

Commodity imports from EU member states increased 10.2% to EUR 10.2 billion, while those from non-EU countries decreased 5.3% to EUR 2.3 billion.

Updated results for first five months 2019

Croatia’s commodity exports in the first five months of 2019 totalled HRK 45.9 billion, up 7.6% on the year, while imports went up 10.5% to HRK 79.2 billion, according to the updated statistics.

The first results released by the DZS on 9 July showed that Croatia’s commodity exports in the first five months of 2019 totalled HRK 45.8 billion, up 7.4% on the year, while imports went up 9.8% to HRK 78.7 billion.

(EUR 1 = 7.375722)