Turkish-Georgian trade continues to increase
By M. Alkhazashvili
(Translated by Diana Dundua)

Turkey is Georgia’s biggest trade partner, according to statistics recently published in the newspaper Svobodnaya Gruzia.

Between January and September, Georgia’s total trade turnover with Turkey reached USD 620.8 million—a 46 percent increase since the same period in 2006.

Turkey therefore accounted for 14 percent of Georgia’s entire trade turnover between January and September, a 1.1 percent more than it did in 2006.

Georgia’s documented foreign trade turnover was USD 4.4 billion.

Exports reached USD 884.6 million, a 25.4 percent growth since 2006, however imports totaled USD 3.5 billion, a 36.9 percent growth—giving Georgia a trade deficit of around USD 2.6 billion.

Total exports to Turkey doubled, to reach a value of USD 133.2 million, the newspaper Rezonansi reports.

Russia is Georgia’s second largest trading partner, with total trade in January-September reaching USD 467 million, a 2.2 percent decrease on 2006 figures.

Russia accounts for 10.5 percent of Georgia’s total trade turnover, a four percent decrease since last year.

Oil products and natural gas account for around 40.4 percent of Georgian imports from Russia, the newspaper Svobodnyia Gruzia writes.

Russia has imposed a trade embargo on Georgia since October 2006, severing air, land and sea links, following the arrest of four Russians accused of spying in Georgia.

Approximately 39 percent of Georgia’s total trade turnover is with Commonwealth of Independent States members, while 28.4 percent is with the EU.

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