Laos Records Trade Surplus Of US$100 mn In March

Source: Vientiane Times

Laos registered record two-way trade of US$1,100 million, including exports of US$600 million and imports worth approximately US$500 million, in March, resulting in a trade surplus of US$100 million.

The main exports included gold, gold bars, paper and paper products, copper ore, wood pulp, waste paper, rubber, cassava, banana, clothing, fertilisers and sugar.

The main imports included inland vehicles (other than motorcycles and tractors), diesel, mechanical equipment (other than motor vehicles), auto parts (including tires, windshields and chains), iron and steel products, plastic products, gasoline and premium gasoline, wastes from the food industry, chemical products, and tractors.

The total exports were worth approximately US$600 million. The main exports by value included US$92 million in gold and gold bars, US$51 million in paper and paper products, US$26 million in copper ore, US$27 million in wood pulp and waste paper, US$25 million in rubber, US$56 million in cassava, US$31 million in banana, US$23 million in clothing, US$25 million in fertilisers, and US$25 million in sugar.

The total imports were worth approximately US$500 million. The main imports by value included US$ 46 million in inland vehicles (other than motorcycles and tractors), US$70 million in diesel, US$25 million in mechanical equipment (other than motor vehicles), US$16 million in auto parts (including tires, windshields and chains), US$16 million in iron and steel products, US$17 million in plastic products, US$18 million in gasoline and premium gasoline, US$10 million in wastes from the food industry, US$11 million in chemical products, and US$9 million in tractors.

The main countries for exports were China (US$198 million), Vietnam (US$118 million), Thailand (US$115 million), Australia (US$38 million), and Singapore (US$25 million).

The main countries for imports included Thailand (US$277 million), China (US$86 million), Vietnam (US$42 million), the USA (US$30 million), and Japan (US$16 million).

During 2021, Laos exported goods worth more than US$7,600 million to more than 90 countries and regions around the world.

Exports to 12 countries – Thailand, China, Vietnam, Australia, Cambodia, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, India, and the United States – were valued at more than US$50 million each.

The main products with higher export value were electricity, mixed gold, gold bars, paper, waste paper, copper ore, wood pulp, rubber, cassava, iron ore, bananas, clothing, fertilisers, electronics, camera parts and shoes.

The latest trade figures were posted on the Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s Lao Trade Portal. The trade figures do not include earnings from the export of electricity.