The World : Soviet Trade Deficit Soars

The Soviet trade deficit with Western capitalist countries was $4.7 billion last year, more than four times the 1985 level of $1.1 billion, the official Soviet news agency Tass reported. It said falling prices for oil, which accounts for most of the Soviets’ hard-currency export earnings, and the weaker dollar contributed to the increase. Quoting the Ministry of Foreign Trade, Tass said the Soviet Union exported goods worth $20.5 billion to the West and imported goods worth $25.2 billion in 1986. West Germany was its leading Western trade partner; trade with the United States declined, with total turnover of $2.37 billion.