Chile’s foreign trade balance recorded a surplus of over US$2.9 billion in March, a monthly figure not recorded since April 2007, reported the Central Bank.
The sector with the best sales performance was mining.
“The trade balance reached a surplus of US$2.906 billion in March 2023, the highest since the US$3.019 billion recorded in April 2007,” the agency stated in a report.
The figure was boosted by exports, which registered US$8.762 billion in March, 13.1% more than in the same period of 2022.
, with US$5.883 billion, more than half of the goods sold abroad, registering an increase of 21.9% compared to March last year.
Within mining, copper was the star mineral, with year-on-year growth in exports of 9.9%, representing sales of US$4.585 billion.
There were also increases in lithium and molybdenum concentrate trade, with year-on-year increases of 174% and 400%, respectively.
On the other hand, imports in March were US$6.855 billion, marking a drop of 17.3% concerning the same period in 2022.
Last year, the purchases that fell the most were automobiles, computers, cell phones, televisions, household appliances, clothing, footwear, meats, beverages, gasoline, and alcohol.
With information from Sputnik