The trade deficit with agro-food products reached 734.4 million euros over the first five months of the year, a 33.1 percent increase (182.6 million euros) as against the similar period of the previous year, according to the data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (MAPDR).

The imports rose to 960 million euros, at the end of May 2006, by over 28.5 percent as against the first five months of 2005, when they amounted to 747.3 million euros. The exports of agro-food products registered an approximately 15.4 percent increase as against the similar period of 2005; they stood at a low level as compared with the imports, at only 225.6 million euros at the end of May 2006.

According to MAPDR's data, the main imported products were cigarettes, tobacco, and pork, which represented 23.1 percent of the imports, their value reaching 221.4 million euros. With regard to exports, live animals - cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, mules - continue to be the most wanted on the foreign market; they totalled on the first five months of the year over 48.3 million euros (28,400 tonnes), which accounts for 21.4 percent of the exports.

The European Union (EU) is the main partner in Romania's agricultural trade, the exports for this destination representing 57 percent, while the imports from the EU member states, 56 percent. Other important partners are the CEFTA countries, Turkey, the United States and the Republic of Moldova.

source