Oil catapults exportsOil catapults exports

Revenues from crude oil exports doubled (109%).

The outgoing Government had not budgeted so, but in the first two months of the year, it received $ 593 million more for the sale of oil.

The recovery of oil prices, besides generating more income for the public investment of the central government, allows to improve an indicator that was negative last year and that is key to strengthening the dollar, and thus, the trade balance.

This takes up the positive trend with a balance of $ 422 million (-140 million in 2016 and -714.6 million in 2015).

Oil is not the only commodity with a positive balance. Bananas, shrimp, flowers, and fish preserves revenues also rocketed. These last products two had plummeted in previous years, due to a reduction of the prices in the external markets, but not by a low production.

The 214.3% increase in revenues from sales of vegetable oil extracts corresponds to both a higher output in tons and a recovery in prices.