Maldives Customs Service has said that the number of goods imported in February this year was 18 percent higher than in the same period last year.
According to customs data, goods worth MVR 4.2 billion were imported in February this year. This is an 18 percent increase over the MVR 3.6 billion worth of goods imported in February last year.
Although imports increased in February, exports saw a decline during the period. The Maldives exported goods worth MVR 233 million in February last year. However, the amount exported this February was 0.9 percent lower than the same period last year, standing at MVR 231 million.
The decline in exports also led to a decline in revenue in February. While the state received MVR 326 million from import and export trade in February 2022, the amount stood at MVR 301 million in February this year. This is an eight percent decrease over the previous year.
The Maldives' largest export is varieties of tuna. Skipjack tuna accounts for the majority of fish exports. Statistics show that the largest exports in February were to Thailand.
