Ljubljana - Slovenia's exports rose by 19.8% year-on-year to EUR 39.4 billion in 2021 and imports increased by 30.8% to EUR 42 billion, the Statistics Office said on Friday. A trade deficit of EUR 2.6 billion was recorded, the highest in the last ten years. The export-import ratio was at 93.9%.

Last year, Slovenia exported the most goods to Germany (17.3%), while other important markets were Switzerland (13.4%), Italy (10.7%), Croatia (7.9%) and Austria (6.6%).

By far the most imports came from Germany (14.9%), followed by Italy (11.3%), Switzerland (10.1%), China 10%) and Austria (8.8%).

Contributing the most to total exports last year were products from the product sector machinery and transport equipment (32.5%), followed by chemicals and related products (27.8%), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (18.1%), miscellaneous manufactured articles (9.7%) and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (4.2%).

These product sectors also contributed the most to imports, although not in the same order, as chemicals and related products came first (29.2% of total imports), followed by machinery and transport equipment (27.1%), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (16.7%), miscellaneous manufactured articles (8.4%) and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (7.5%).

In December 2021, exports amounted to EUR 3.2 billion and were up 28.4% compared to the same month a year ago. Imports were 50.2% higher at EUR 4.2 billion.

In the last month of 2021, Slovenia exported 37.8% more and imported 54.3% more goods than in December 2019. The trade deficit in December reached EUR 1 billion.