Georgia’s foreign trade turnover for 2009's six months dropped 37.2% to USD 2.5 billion, against up to USD 4 billion during the same period last year, the Statistics Department said on July 24.

The value of export was USD 515.1 million during the first half, down 35.3% from last year’s USD 795.5 million and import was up to USD 1.99 billion, down to 37.7% from last year’s fist half USD 3.19 billion.

Turkey remains the Georgia’s major trading partner with the trading volume amounting to USD 497.5 million down 12.6%; followed by Azerbaijan – USD 252 million; Ukraine – USD 233 million; the United States – USD 152.1 million; Russia – USD 150.1 million; Germany – USD 144 million; Italy – USD 76.9 million.

Ferro-alloys remained the number one Georgian export, amounting USD 66 million; oil products and hydrocarbons top the list of imports totaling USD 212.4 million in the first half of 2009.