November 17 (SeeNews) - Albania's trade deficit increased by 3.5 % year-on-year in the first 10 months of 2017, reaching 285 billion leks ($2.48 billion/2.11 billion euro), the statistical office, INSTAT, said on Friday.
Exports rose 13.4% on the year to 226 billion leks in the period January-October, while imports increased 7.7% to 510 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In October alone, Albania's trade deficit totalled 32 billion leks, up 15.2% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner in the first 10 months of 2017, absorbing Albanian exports of 120.4 billion leks and providing imports to the country of 146.5 billion leks. Other major importers into Albania were Germany, Greece and Turkey.
Albania exported mainly construction materials and metals, textile and footwear, food, drinks and tobacco.
(1 euro = 132.214 leks)