Zimbabwe exports up 35 percent

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ZIMBABWE’S exports were up by 35,5 percent to US$461,8 million in March from US$340,8 million in February, official data shows.
This was 69,7 percent higher compared to an outturn of US$272,1 million last March, when Covid-19 hit the country’s shores.
Exports hit a five-year low of US$200,5 million in April 2020, as restrictions put in place to curb infections took a toll on trade, globally.
Imports, which had also slumped to a low of US$225 million last April due to the contagion, increased by 17 percent in March to US$527 million, from US$452 million in February.

The country’s trade deficit was down by 41 percent to US$65 million during the month, from US$111 million in February.
The trade balance had soared to US$177,4 million in January, the worst in nine months, as major exports gold, platinum group metals (PGMs) and tobacco, performed poorly mostly due to a decline in prices.