“With the best performance in their modern history, Greek exports finished last year” as noted in an announcement by the Panhellenic Association of Exporters.

In particular, according to an analysis by the Panhellenic Association of Exporters and the Center for Export Research and Studies (KEEM), based on the provisional data of EL-STAT, exports, for the period January – December 2022, increase by a total of 14.64 billion euros or by 37.1% and amounted to 54.08 billion euros from 39.44 billion euros in 2021.

Imports in the same period increased by 27.36 billion euros or by 42.8%, with their total value reaching 91.21 billion euros compared to 63.86 billion euros during the twelve months of 2021. As a result of above movements, the trade deficit increased by 12.72 billion euros or by 52.1% and reached -37.14 billion euros in the period under review from -24.42 billion euros in the year 2021.

Italy, Bulgaria, Germany, Cyprus and Turkey the best “customers”

Italy continues to be the most important destination for Greek exports in 2022, while Bulgaria is a big surprise, occupying the second place, compared to the 5th place it held in 2021.

This is followed by Germany, to which the increase in exports of Greek products (by 20.9%) in 2022, led to it falling to 3rd place from 2nd place, and then Cyprus occupying 4th place from 3rd place it held.

They are followed by Turkey, which is in 5th place from the 4th place it held in 2021, the U.S. to which there is a large increase in exports (38.1%) and the United Kingdom in positions 6 and 7, for the U.S. one place higher, and for the United Kingdom two places higher, than the corresponding last year, due to the increase of exports by 64.5% to the United Kingdom.

Spain is in 8th place (up from 10th) followed by Libya, to which there was an increase in Greek exports (by 83.7%), resulting in it occupying 9th place from the 12th place it held in 2021. The top ten of of the main destinations of Greek exports, Romania completes, which was in 8th place in 2021.

As far as the product categories are concerned, fuels, industrial products and food are the absolute “protagonists” in the struggle of Extroversion.

Apart from the top ten client countries of Greek products for the year 2022, it is worth noting the significant decrease in exports (-10%) and a big drop in the ranking of France (12th place from 6th), South Korea (20th from 13th ) with a 20.8% decrease and China (29th from 17th) with a 43% decrease compared to 2021, as well as the rise of North Macedonia (11th from 15th) with a 101% increase, Gibraltar (14th from 21st) with an increase of 132% and Malta (19th place from 32nd) with an increase of 117.9%.

Regarding the destinations of Greek exports per economic union, there is an increase of 40.9% to the EU.