MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gold becomes the main export of Bolivia in the eight months of 2021

Gold exports reached almost seven billion dollars and imports in the first eight months, US$ 5.674 million, with trade surplus climbing to US$ 1.360 million

Gold, bullion, and jewellery have become Bolivia's main export in the first eight months of this year totalling almost seven billion dollars, considerably higher than the US$ 4.213,4 of the same period in 2020, which represents a 65,4% increase, according to the official INE stats office.

Given that imports in the first eight months of the year reached US$ 5.674 million, the trade surplus climbed to US$ 1.360 million in contrast with the balanced results of 2020, no surplus, no deficit. 

Gold with a significant boost and natural gas represented 45% of Bolivia's overseas sales in the Jan/August period of 2021. This means gold and jewellery totaled in eight months US$ 1.640 or 24% of exports compared to the US$ 778 million a year ago.

Clients of Bolivian gold are mainly India, United Arab Emirate, Turkey, US, Hong Kong and Canada, added INE.

Meantime natural gas sales to Argentina and Brazil added up to US$ 1.472 million, or 21% of exports, slightly higher than in 2020. The Bolivian government is confident that overseas sales this year can reach 10 billion dollars, thus breaking a five-year declining cycle.