Colombia imported $2.7 billion of goods and services in January, including freight and insurance costs, down 3.1% from January 2009, the country’s national statistics agency, DANE, said Tuesday.
Imports of U.S. origin fell to 24.8% of the total, down from 36.5% in the same period last year, led by an 88.3% slump in imports from the aerospace sector. Imports from the U.S. fell to $669 million in January, from $1.02 billion in January last year.
Despite this, the U.S. remains by far Colombia’s biggest trading partner. Imports from China fell to $310 million from $321 million in the same period in 2009. Imports from France, Argentina and Israel all rose sharply.
Colombia posted a trade surplus of $359 million in January, compared to a $102 million deficit in January 2009. The country had a $661 million surplus with the U.S., a $108 million surplus with the Low Countries, and a $66 million surplus with Venezuela, DANE said.
The largest deficits were registered with Mexico ($144 million), France, China and Argentina. (Matthew Bristow / Dow Jones)