Belarus' foreign trade deficit increased $2 billion in the first two months of the current year, Economy Minister Nikolai Snopkov said on Thursday.
The country's foreign trade deficit in 2010 was $9.6 billion, up 32.7% on the previous year.
The minister attributed the rise to higher prices of raw materials, especially oil.
Another factor in the rising deficit was the import of passenger cars to Belarus, which jumped ahead of an upcoming hike in customs duties.
MINSK, March 31 (RIA Novosti)
