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Karelia participates actively in foreign trade activity and develops trade relations with many countries. The chief expert of the department of foreign economic, inter-regional and international relations of the Ministry of Economic Development of the republic Konstantin Zagainov has told about work in this direction in the first six months of the current year.
– Foreign trade turnover of goods and services in the republicin the first six months, – he says, – without taking import from Byelorussia into account, has made $949,7 million, that is 21.7% more, than in the similar period of 2007. Expansion of the foreign trade turnover is caused by increase of both export, and import.
Export from Karelia in value terms has grown by 13.7% in relation to the period from January till June of the last year and has made $704,8 million. The greatest influence on growth of deliveries abroad was rendered by iron-ore pellets (plus $22,8 million) and pulp-and-paper production (plus $42,5 million). In the accounting period significant reduction of physical volume of export of round wood was observed.
Since April 1 volume of export duties has grown to the level of 25%, but no less than €15 euro per cubic metre. As a result, physical volume of export for this commodity position has decreased by 26.9% in comparison with the first six months of the last year and has made 1,1 million cubic metres. At the same time, owing to active demand in the beginning of the year and high rate of the Euro, average prices have grown by 70.4% to the standard of $81.6 per ton. Due to price growth export of round wood in value terms has increased by 24.5% in comparison with the similar period of 2007 and has made $90,5 million.
Contrary to fears, assumptions of the opportunity of replacement of export of round wood with wood chips delivery do not prove to be true. In the accounting period of delivery of this production in natural expression has made 84,2 thousand tons, having increased by only 4.4% in comparison with the first six months of the last year, growth of cost volume by 18% has been caused by substantial growth of prices.
In natural expression in the first six months of 2008 delivery of saw-timbers have made 206,4 thousand cubic metres, that is 20.9% less, than in the January to June period of the last year. It is caused, mainly, by decrease in saw-timber production and low level of demand at the foreign markets. Thereof, and also due to 0.3% price reduction, cost of supplies in the first six months of 2008 has made only $49,1 million, having decreased by 21.1% in comparison with the similar period of the last year.
Export volumes of kraft paper and cardboard in value terms has grown tothe standard of $75,7 million (plus 67.1% to the first six months of 2007), that is caused by both growth of physical supplies to the mark of 81,4 thousand tons (plus 11.9%), and by price growth by 49.2%.
Export of cellulose on results of six months has made $21 million, that is 12.1% more, than in the January to June period of 2007. Growth has been also caused by increase of physical volume of export by 4.3% (up to the mark of 41,1 thousand tons) and 7.5% increase in prices (up to the level of $511,6 per ton).
Rates of growth of newprint export were a little less – 108.7% in comparison with the January to June period of 2007 (to the level of $159,7 million). The physical volume of export has increased by 3.9% in comparison with the similar period of 2007, and the average price – by 4.6%.
In economy of the republic much is defined by work of Kostomuksha ore-dressing and processing enterprise and conjuncture of iron ore pellets' prices in the world market. In this connection it is necessary to note growth of cost export of iron-ore pellets. In the first six months of 2008 it has made $72,3 million, that 46% exceeds the similar last year's parameter. The primary factor was 29.7% growth of prices to the mark of $73.1 per ton. Physical volume of export of iron-ore raw material has grown by 12.5% to the level of six months of 2007 and has made 988,7 thousand tons.
Against the background of quite astable dynamics of the world market, the average prices of export of the raw aluminium on results of six months were reduced by 5.5%, having made $2420.1 per ton, and physical volume has decreased to the mark of 31,6 thousand tons. As a result of it, the cost volume of export has decreased by 21.6% in comparison with the first six months of the last year.
As for export of other kinds of production from Karelia, increase in export of fish and seafood was observed. In the January to June period cost volume of export of fish production has made $29,1 million, having increased by 21.1% in comparison with 6 months of the last year. Growth has been caused, mainly, by expansion of physical supplies. Also positive influence was rendered by increase of average export prices.
It is necessary to note growth of deliveries of hi-tech production from the republic. In the January to June period export of 'electric equipment, electric and optical devices' commodity position has achieved the level of $52,2 million, that is 26.6% more than in the first six months of the last year.
Import of goods keeps growing. On results of six months it has reached the level of $244,9 million, that is 52.8% more than in the first six months of 2007. Basic import article is machine-building production which relative density exceeds 50%. In the January to June period of the current year cost volume of import of this commodity group has made $126,5 million, that is 36.3% more, than in the similar period of 2007. The reason of growth was increase in import of production of investment purpose by enterprises of the RK. Owing to the measures undertaken for restriction of raw export and development of processing enterprises in the territory of the Russian Federation, many enterprises of the republic have started modernization of capacities.
Also it is necessary to note 3 times increase in import of mineral and chemical products in comparison with the first six months of the last year to the level of $66,1 million. In this commodity group there prevail plastic and related articles, was well as products of inorganic chemistry and mineral fuel.
Nail Shabiyev
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