January 17 (SeeNews) - Albania's trade deficit increased by 5.2% year-on-year in 2017, reaching 353 billion leks ($3.2 billion/2.6 billion euro), the national statistical office, INSTAT, said on Wednesday.
Exports rose 12.1% to 273 billion leks last year, while imports increased 8.1% to 626 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In December alone, Albania's trade deficit totalled 39 billion leks, up 14.2% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner in 2017, absorbing Albanian exports of 146 billion leks and providing imports to the country of 179.2 billion leks. Other major importers into Albania were China, Greece and Germany.
Albania exported mainly construction materials and metals, textiles and footwear, food, drinks and tobacco.
(1 euro = 134.658 leks)