The external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) of Georgia amounted to USD 8 126.1 million in January-August, 0.01 percent higher compared to the same period of the last year.

As the Georgian National Statistics Office (Geostat) has reported, the exports equaled USD 2 411.6 million (12.4 percent higher), while the imports stood at USD 5 714.5 million (4.4 percent lower). The negative trade balance was USD 3 302.9 million in January-August 2019 and its share in external trade turnover constituted 40.6 percent. The exports excluding re-exports amounted to USD 1 495.1 million, 2.4 percent higher year-on-year.

According to Geostat, in January-August, the exports from Georgia to the EU countries amounted to USD 571.1 million (25.3 percent higher compared to January-August 2018) and constituted 23.7 percent of total exports, while the imports amounted to USD 1 479.1 million (11.6 percent lower) with 25.9 percent in total imports. The external trade turnover of Georgia with the EU countries amounted to USD 2 050.2 million, showing a 3.7 percent decrease compared to the corresponding indicator of the previous year. The EU countries accounted for 27.5 percent of the trade deficit. In January-August 2019 the exports to the CIS countries stood at USD 1 274.0 million (24.2 percent higher compared to January-August 2018) and reached 52.8 percent of total exports, while the imports equaled USD 1 494.2 million (14.7 percent lower) with 26.1 percent in total import. The trade turnover with the CIS countries totaled USD 2 768.1 million (0.3 percent lower). The CIS countries accounted for 6.7 percent of the overall trade deficit in the corresponding period.

The share of the top ten trading partners by exports in the total exports of Georgia amounted to 72.7 percent during the mentioned period. The top partners were Russia (USD 338.7 million), Azerbaijan (USD 315.0 million) and Armenia (USD 217.4 million).

In January-August, the share of the top ten trading partners by imports in the total imports of Georgia amounted to 65.8 percent. The top partners were Turkey (USD 993.8 million), China (USD 574.2 million) and Russia (USD 565.2 million).

The share of the top ten trading partners in the total external trade turnover of Georgia amounted to 66.5 percent. The top trading partners were Turkey (USD 1.137.9 million), Russia (USD 903.9 million) and Azerbaijan (USD 682.5 million).

Copper ores and concentrates reclaimed the first place in the list of top export items, equaling USD 430.6 million or 17.9 percent of total exports. The exports of motor cars totaled USD 381.5 million and their share in the total exports amounted to 15.8 percent. The ferro-alloys exports occupied the third place standing at USD 207.1 million and constituting 8.6 percent of the total exports.

The top import commodities in the mentioned period were petroleum and petroleum oils whose imports equaled USD 474.0 million (8.3 percent of the total imports). The motor cars followed in the list with USD 423.8 million, or 7.4 percent of imports. The copper ores and concentrates were third in the top import commodity list with USD 375.4 million (6.6 percent of imports).