The most important export product of Montenegro last year was electricity with 114 million euros, out of a total export of 615 million euros, followed by exports of beverages with 45,1 million, ores with 42,5 million, medicines with 38,7 million, aircraft and parts with 38,4 million, aluminum with 38 million, oil with 28,7 million, and dried meat with 26,2 million euros. Total imports amounted to 4,08 billion, or almost seven times higher than exports.
Monstat produces export data based on customs declarations of goods crossing the border, and those leaving Montenegro are recorded as exports, regardless of whether they were produced in Montenegro, re-exported through its territory, or were withdrawn and returned to the country of origin due to some error. Given that Montenegrin exports are the mathematics of small numbers, this re-export or return of goods means that Montenegro exports millions of what it does not produce, such as petroleum products with exports of almost 29 million, aircraft and their parts for 38,4 million, vehicles for 14,6 million.
Food imports 15 times higher than exports
Montenegro imported food worth 772 million euros last year, while exporting food worth 54,4 million euros. The most important item in food exports is dried meat worth 26,2 million euros, of which the largest amount was shipped to Serbia for 22,2 million. Dried meat was also sold in Kosovo for 1,3 million, in North Macedonia for 853 thousand, in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 833 thousand, and it was also on the tables of Germany for 519 thousand, Sweden for 342 thousand, Slovenia for 78 thousand, and France for 31 thousand.
Processed meat products (sausages and the like) were exported for 7,7 million euros, of which the most went to BiH for 2,6 million, to Serbia for 2,4 million, to Kosovo for two million, but this product also went to North Macedonia for 441 thousand, Germany for 97 thousand, and Sweden for 78 thousand.
Total exports of meat and meat products amounted to 38 million euros, or eight million more than in 2023. At the same time, total imports of meat and meat products amounted to 183 million.
Total imports of dairy products were 71 million euros, and only 288 thousand were exported. Milk was exported for 156 thousand, of which almost all to BiH for 153 thousand. Cheese itself was imported for 30 million, and exported for 85 thousand, of which to Germany for 35 thousand and Serbia for 20 thousand.
Montenegro exported vegetables worth 4,8 million euros, of which dried vegetables were worth 1,8 million, other vegetables 1,7 million, frozen vegetables 1,1 million. Where specific types of vegetables are listed, the items are symbolic, for example, potatoes were exported for 18 thousand, tomatoes for 1.224 euros... Imports of potatoes were worth 4,2 million, and tomatoes 8,4 million.
Of these other vegetables, the most was exported to Italy for 748 thousand, then to Suriname (a country in South America) for 411 thousand, Slovenia for 269 thousand, Bulgaria for 164 thousand... The most was exported to Italy for 748 thousand, Austria for 119 thousand, Estonia for 83 thousand,... Montenegro exported dried vegetables to Austria for 557 thousand, Italy for 507 thousand, Switzerland for 274 thousand, Germany for 267 thousand. No significant Montenegrin producers of frozen and dried vegetables are known, so it is possible that this is a re-export or return of the product.
Fruit was exported from Montenegro for 3,2 million euros, of which melons and watermelons for 834 thousand, grapes for 385 thousand, apricots and peaches for 165 thousand. However, the most exported was frozen and cooked fruit, for 1,2 million euros, of which 1,03 million went to Serbia.
Melons and watermelons were exported mostly to Bosnia and Herzegovina for 556 thousand euros, followed by Serbia for 140 thousand, Croatia for 110 thousand. Grapes were exported mostly to Croatia for 112 thousand, as well as apricots and peaches for 135 thousand.
Among food products, Montenegro has become a significant exporter of chocolate and cocoa products, worth three million euros, unless it is a re-export. The most exported was to Serbia with 875 thousand, Kosovo with 372 thousand, Bosnia and Herzegovina with 257 thousand, Croatia with 251 thousand, Germany with 165 thousand, and Bulgaria with 145 thousand.
Total beverage exports were worth 45,1 million euros, of which beer accounted for 4,3 million, wine for 16,4 million, and vodka, brandy and spirits for 23,6 million.
Most wine goes to Serbia, and vodka to Israel
Nikšić beer is also produced in Serbia, so it is exported from Montenegro to a smaller number of countries and in smaller quantities, mostly to Kosovo with 1,7 million, Bosnia and Herzegovina with 1,3 million, and Albania with one million.
Most of Montenegrin wines were sold in Serbia for 10,2 million, but also in over 30 countries. Wine exports to Bosnia were worth 2,6 million, and to China for 535 thousand, to Croatia for 390 thousand, to Albania for 271 thousand, to Germany for 260 thousand, to the USA for 227 thousand, and to Canada for 107 thousand.
Spirits, dominated by vodka from the new factory in Nikšić, were exported for 23,6 million, of which the most was to Israel for 6,8 million, Latvia for 6,4 million, the United Arab Emirates for 2,4 million, and the USA for 2,2 million.
The export of medicines and medical devices (Hemofarm Podgorica) was worth 38,7 million euros, of which 38,6 million were exported to Serbia and 97 thousand euros to BiH.
Oil was exported across the border of Montenegro for 28,7 million euros, of which 15,8 million euros went to Slovenia. The Monsta list of trade exchanges includes over 200 countries and territories, but also an additional column for miscellaneous. And in that “miscellaneous” category, we exported oil for 13 million euros.
Montenegro also exported chemical products worth nine million, plastics worth 5,1 million, paper labels worth 2,5 million, clothing worth 9,5 million, jewelry worth 4,3 million, and processed stone worth 2,4 million. Furniture, bedding, and mattresses were exported for three million, while their imports were worth 123 million.
Electricity imports fell from 207 million in 2023 to 114 million last year due to lack of rainfall. The most electricity went to Switzerland 22,9 million, Serbia 22 million, and Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,3 million.
Firewood and wood go to Kosovo because they protect the forests
Montenegro exported 11,8 million euros worth of firewood and briquettes last year, the most of which was five million to Kosovo, which has limited logging in its forests to protect them from previous overexploitation.
Firewood worth 3,8 million was exported to North Macedonia, 1,5 million to Italy, 1,2 million to Serbia, and 297 thousand to Croatia.
Timber, beams and boards, were exported for 24,8 million euros, and also the most to Kosovo - 9,8 million. These raw materials were exported to Albania for 6,5 million, to Serbia for 3,5 million, to North Macedonia for 3,4 million, and boards from Montenegro reached China for 368 thousand euros.
Bauxite goes to China, we just repackage the aluminum
Of the total ore exports of 42,4 million euros, bauxite accounted for the most - 28,7 million. The most exported ore from Nikšić was to China - 19 million, Greece - 4,4 million, and Serbia - 4,2 million.
Lead ore from the Pljevlja mine was exported for 3,2 million euros, all to Luxembourg. Zinc ore from the same mine was exported for 10,8 million euros, of which 10,4 million went to Poland and 451 thousand euros to Luxembourg.
Raw and alloyed aluminum was exported for 38,3 million euros, of which 11,6 million went to Luxembourg, 11,5 million to Serbia, and 10,4 million to Switzerland. Four years ago, the aluminum plant reduced production by 90 percent due to expensive electricity, and later shut down completely. This former giant now imports raw aluminum and alloys it in its own plants. Last year, Montenegro imported raw aluminum for 26 million, of which 13 million came from China, 8,6 million from Russia, and 4,3 million from Malaysia.
Bankruptcy and sales boost aircraft exports
According to documents, Montenegro exported aircraft and parts for aircraft and other aircraft worth 38,4 million euros last year.
The known aircraft export refers to the assets of the former “Montenegro Airlines” and the sale of its aircraft and equipment, one of which was in working order and the other six were damaged. The “Tara” factory in Mojkovac has a part of its range related to the aviation industry, and it is possible that last year the Montenegrin Army also sold some of its decommissioned equipment from this area or that someone else sold this type of goods through Montenegro.
The most aircraft and their parts were exported to Ukraine for 13,1 million, Poland for 10,2 million, the Czech Republic for 9,7 million, and Azerbaijan for four million.
Montenegro exported explosives, produced by factories in Majkovac and Berane, worth 9,5 million euros, of which the most was to Ukraine, worth 4,6 million, Serbia, worth 2,1 million, and Poland, worth two million. Explosives from Montenegro also reached Congo, worth 290 thousand, Ethiopia, worth 124 thousand, and Vietnam, worth 59 thousand.
Weapons and ammunition were exported for 2,3 million, of which 1,2 million to Serbia, 918 thousand to Congo, and 135 thousand to Ukraine.
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