April 17 (SeeNews) - Albania's trade deficit expanded 8.3% year-on-year in March, reaching 42 billion leks ($439 million/412 million euro), the national statistical office said on Wednesday.
Exports fell by 21% on the year to some 33 billion leks, while imports fell 7% to some 75 billion leks, INSTAT said in a monthly statement.
Exports of shoes, textiles; minerals, fuels, electricity and building materials, and metals decreased, contributing to the overall export decline in March.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner in March, absorbing Albanian exports of 16.1 billion leks and providing imports worth 17.4 billion leks.
In 2023, Albania's trade deficit decreased by 6.7%, reaching 432.3 billion leks, the statistics service has said.
(1 euro = 101.7 leks)