MOSCOW, March 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's surplus foreign trade balance will significantly fall in 2010, an economics ministry official said Monday.
Oleg Zasov, a deputy director of the ministry's macroeconomic forecasting department, said the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, while defining Russia's macroeconomic indicators for the mid term, proceeded from lower import growth rates than earlier expected and had slightly increased its 2010 export and import growth forecast.
"In 2010, Russian exports are expected to reach $294.2 billion, and imports to Russia $290.9 billion. The trade surplus will only be $3.3 billion," Zasov said, adding that in 2006, the positive balance was $140.6 billion.
The balance is expected to fall because due to a high consumer demand, imports to Russia will grow rapidly.
