ZAGREB, 9 May (Hina) – The value of Croatia’s goods exports reached €6.1 billion in the first three months of this year, an increase of 8.6% compared with the same period last year, while imports rose by 7.6% to €10.7 billion, according to preliminary data released by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) on Friday.

This resulted in a foreign trade deficit of €4.6 billion, with the export-to-import coverage ratio standing at 57.1%.

According to the DZS, exports to EU member states in the first quarter totalled just over €4 billion, up 8% year-on-year, while exports to non-EU countries rose by 9.8% to €2.1 billion.

Imports from EU countries increased by 2.5% to €8.2 billion, while imports from non-EU countries jumped by 28.5% to €2.5 billion.

The DZS also published provisional figures for the first two months of the year.

Total exports during that period reached nearly €4 billion, up 10% on the year, while imports rose by the same rate to €6.9 billion.

The foreign trade deficit for January and February stood at €2.9 billion, and the export-to-import coverage ratio at 57.5%.