Customs Committee posts Russian foreign trade figures

The foreign trade surplus of the Russian Federation amounted to $42.7bn in the period from January to September 2002, compared to $46bn in the corresponding period of last year. The foreign trade volume was $108.1bn in the first nine months of 2002, which was 2.9 percent higher that in the period from January to September 2001, the State Customs Committee reported. Exports were $75.4bn in the reported period (a 0.2 percent decrease); imports were $32.7bn (a 10.6 percent advance).