September 19 (SeeNews) - Albania's trade deficit widened by 10% year-on-year in the first eight months of 2022, reaching 280 billion leks ($2.4 billion/2.4 billion euro), the national statistical office said on Monday.
Exports rose 41% on the year to 328 billion leks in the period under review, while imports increased 24.8% to 607 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In August alone, Albania's trade deficit totalled 44 billion leks, up 19.6% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner in the January-August period, absorbing Albanian exports of 144.3 billion leks and providing 134.1 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 = 116.705 leks)