Greek exports give positive signs
Exports posted a slight rise of 1.6 percent in the first six months of the year, as the trade deficit shrank by 4.7 percent, according to data released by the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (OPE) yesterday. The total value of exports in the January-June period reached 8,518.4 million euros against 8,384.7 million euros in the same period last year. Excluding oil products, Greek exports grew by 4.2 percent year-on-year, from 7,355.9 million euros to 7,665.7 million euros. The trade deficit narrowed to 17,098 million euros from 17,942 million euros. Exports of food and beverages – which account for 18.3 percent of all Greek exports – in the first half of the year increased by 11.2 percent to reach 1,554.8 million euros. There was a significant rise in products such as fresh and dried fruits (up by 27.7 percent), exports of which totaled 220.9 million euros, followed by exports of cheese and milk (19.4 percent), preserved fruit (17 percent) and fresh or frozen fish (12.9 percent). Exports to other European Union countries rose by 6.5 percent to reach 5,739.4 million euros, accounting for 67.4 percent of all exports. Italy tops the list of importers of Greek products, for which it paid a total of 1.1 billion euros. Interestingly, exports to Russia grew by 30.7 percent since last year, to reach 171.9 million euros.
