Foreign trade - Exports
At the end of the first quarter of
1999, Colombian exports reached US$2.4 billion, 6.7% less than that in March 1998.
Traditional exports fell by 8.7% (US$111 million), while non traditional exports decreased
by 4.8% (US$64 million). The reduction in traditional goods sales was due to the fall in
the sales of coffee (US$152 million), coal (US$12 million), gold (US$7 million) and nickel
(US$1 million), primarily, as a result of low international prices. On the other hand,
lower non-traditional exports is the result of the falling of industrial goods which fell
by US$137 million in which lower exports of food, beverages and tobacco, transport,
machinery and equipment played an important role. On the contrary, agricultural exports
grew by US$69 million, particularly, flowers and bananas. External sales of mining goods
grew by US$3 million. The United States was the main destination for Colombian exports,
purchasing 45.9% of the total, followed by the European Union with 18.4% and the Andean
Group with 14.0%. For 1999, exports are expected to grow by 5.5%.
EXPORTS
EXPORTS |
1999* % |
U.S.A. |
45.9 |
EUROPEAN UNION |
18.4 |
ANDEAN GROUP |
14.0 |
JAPAN |
2.7 |
REST |
21.8 |
* Up to March |
|
|
US$ Millions FOB
YEARS |
Total
exports |
Variation
% |
Non
traditional exports |
Variation
% |
Traditional
exports |
Variation
% |
1987 |
5,254.4 |
-1.4 |
1,556.3 |
14.2 |
3,698.1 |
-6.8 |
1988 |
5,342.7 |
1.7 |
1,855.9 |
19.3 |
3,486.8 |
-5.7 |
1989 |
6,031.8 |
12.9 |
2,144.8 |
15.6 |
3,887.0 |
11.5 |
1990 |
7,079.4 |
17.4 |
2,663.7 |
24.2 |
4,415.7 |
13.6 |
1991 |
7,507.4 |
6.0 |
3,541.1 |
32.9 |
3,966.3 |
-10.2 |
1992 |
7,263.2 |
-3.3 |
3,564.7 |
0.7 |
3,698.5 |
-6.8 |
1993 |
7,428.5 |
2.3 |
3,984.3 |
11.8 |
3,444.2 |
-6.9 |
1994 |
8,546.0 |
15.0 |
4,539.0 |
13.9 |
4,007.0 |
16.3 |
1995 |
10,095.0 |
18.1 |
5,129.0 |
13.0 |
4,966.0 |
23.9 |
1996 |
10,524.0 |
4.2 |
4,831.0 |
-5.8 |
5,693.0 |
14.6 |
1997 |
11,529.0 |
7.2 |
5,333.0 |
6.9 |
6,196.0 |
7.4 |
1998 p |
10,852.0 |
-5.9 |
5,594.4 |
4.9 |
5,257.6 |
-15.1 |
1998 p* |
2,601.9 |
7.1 |
1,325.5 |
23.4 |
1,276.4 |
-5.9 |
1999 p* |
2,427.9 |
-6.7 |
1,262.2 |
-4.8 |
1,165.7 |
-8.7 |
|
p: Provisional.
* Up to March.
Source: National Administrative Department of Statistics(DANE). |
