While Macau’s total exports, i.e., domestic and re-exports, rose by 4.5 percent year on year to 3.29 billion patacas in the first quarter of this year, imports dropped by 8.1 percent to 32.59 billion patacas, resulting in a merchandise trade balance deficit of 35.88 billion patacas, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) announced yesterday.
Re-exports accounted for 89.86 percent of total exports.
Food and beverages - Macau’s top segment of merchandise imports – fell by 14.6 percent to 5.11 billion patacas.
But gold jewellery imports increased by 2.7 percent to 3.43 billion patacas.
Most of Macau’s imports originated from the Chinese mainland (27.9 percent), France (14.2 percent), and Italy (12.9 percent).
Macau, a founding member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and member of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), is a free port and separate customs territory of China.
A shopper stands outside a Philippine convenience store on Rua dos Mercadores last night. Virtually all products on sale in Macau are imported. – Photo: Carl Leong
