The Colombian government estimates that exports for 2011 will increase to a record-breaking $42 billion, Trade Minister Sergio Diaz-Granados said Monday.
The figure would surpass the export figures for 2010, which reached $39.8 billion and rose 21.8% from a year earlier. The surge in exports has been driven by sales of commodities like oil, coal, coffee and ferronickel. Diaz-Granados, however, said Monday that there are signs that sales abroad of manufactured products are picking up.
The minister highlighted that one of Colombia’s largest automakers will start exporting cars to Mexico soon.
“It shows the advances we have been making in the area of high technology,” he added.
Responding to a question on the potential interest by Colombia to seek a free trade agreement with China, Diaz-Granados said that “there’s no near-term interest on an FTA with China” and that the government is currently focused on other trade deals, including one being pursued with South Korea.
(Dan Molinski and Darcy Crowe / Dow Jones Newswires)
