Kazakhstan oil export decreases by 2.4 % in January - May of 2008/07

/REUTERS, Almaty, July 15, 08/ - Kazakhstan oil and gas condensate export in January - May of 2008 decreased by 2.4 %, compared to the same period last year, to 25.21 m. tones, the Statistics Agency informed. In January - May last year 25.84 m. tones were exported. Volume of oil and gas condensate export in monetary expression increased by 65.1 % and reached $16.8 bn. In 2007, Kazakhstan increased oil production with gas condensate up to 67.5 m. tons from 65.0 m. tons in 2006. The total volume of Kazakhstan export increased in January - May by 60 % in comparison with the same period of the last year and made $28 bn. In January - May the trading balance was positive in the amount of $14.43 bn. Kazakhstan major export items in natural and monetary expressions in comparison with the indicators of the last year are given below: ----------------------------------------------------------------- January-May January- May 2008/07 2008/07 ------------------- ----------------- (th. tones) (in %) ($ m.) (in %) ------------------------- ----------- ------ -------- ------- Wheat and meslin 3.456.6 +13.2 1.014.8 +133.2 Wheat and rye flour 669.2 +4.6 351.6 +214.9 Iron ore 6.433.5 +4.5 439.1 +54.6 Coal 14.361.2 +32.9 320.3 +51.1 Oil and gas condensate 25.209.8 -2.4 16.813.6 +65.1 Oil products 1.554.7 -0.6 831.0 +63.6 Cotton fibre 46.0 -52.4 63.4 -37.8 Ferroalloys 549.9 +21.5 999.5 +157.1 Refined copper and alloys 104.7 -38.5 735.7 -30.0 Alumina 37.2 +342.4 102.7 1.005.1 Unprocessed zinc 136.3 -6.1 308.1 -39.4 Lead 38.6 -20.9 108.3 +34.3 ----------------------------------------------------------------- During this period the main buyers of Kazakhstan commodities were: Italy - 17.4 %, Switzerland - 15.2 %, China - 9.2 % and Russia - 8.6 %. [2008-07-16]