The reduced spending on imported products, whose prices have cooled recently, made the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC) project a record trade surplus (exports minus imports) in 2023.
The first estimate for the year forecast a surplus of US$84 billion.
The projection will be updated every three months.
If confirmed, the surplus will be 36.8% higher than the positive balance of US$62.31 billion recorded in 2022, the best historical result.
The trade balance should rise because imports will fall more than exports.
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