Imports Jumped 70% in September

In economic news, during the month of September 2021, imports took a giant leap, up by over seventy percent while exports dropped, compared to the same period last year. These are the latest statistics coming out of the Statistical Institute of Belize. According to S.I.B, in September Belize imported goods valued at one hundred and ninety one million dollars and that increase was recorded across commodities. The most significant increase was in machinery and transport equipment. In terms of food stuffs, Belize imported more wheat, lard and soybean meal. On the other hand, exports declined by eighteen percent. The biggest drop was sugar. SIB says this is because less bulk sugar was being exported that month. Growth was seen in the exportation of animal feed, marine products, and molasses, red kidney beans and bananas. Looking at the first nine months of the year, exports totaled three hundred and thirty five million dollars, an eleven percent increase, in comparison to the same period in 2020.