According to Colombian statistics agency DANE, the country’s exports grew by over 26% in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period last year, Portafolio reported Friday.
In April, exports increased by 43.8% compared to the same month in 2009, when exports were down 27.7% compared to 2008.
“In the fourth month of 2010 exports grew to $3.491 billion, whilst in the same month of 2009 the amount had reached $2.4276 billion. The increase can be explained principally by the increase in traditional exports,” said DANE’s report.
The agency reported that Colombia’s traditional exports have increased 86%, with the income generated growing from $1.205 billion to $2.241 billion.
“This result was mainly due to growth in sales of petroleum and petroleum products (139.5%),” said the report.
Non-tradition exports have grown by 2.2%, going from $1.222 billion in 2009 to $1.249 billion in 2010.
In April 2010 exports to the United States increased by 98% compared to the same period in 2009.
Products originating from the central department of Antioquia accounted for 29.8% of the total number of non-traditional exports leaving the country in April 2010. Bogota represented 17% of the total, Valle del Cauca 15.9% and Cundinamarca 9.3%.