In the first three months of the year, Croatia exported HRK 16.4 billion worth of commodities and imported HRK 29.4 billion. The trade deficit was nearly HRK 13 billion, up 8.3% year on year, while the coverage of imports by exports was 55.9%.
When viewed in euros, whose exchange rate increased by 2.1% in the first quarter, exports dropped by 0.9% to EUR 2.2 billion, while imports rose by 2% to EUR 3.9 billion. The trade gap was EUR 1.7 billion, a 6% increase over the first quarter of 2011.
In March, exports reached EUR 849.7 million, the highest monthly level in the first quarter, and imports were also the highest in the quarter, totalling EUR 1.56 billion. The coverage of imports by exports was 54.4%.