The value of goods imported to Bermuda increased by 14 per cent in 2022 to $1.2 billion, the latest government figures show.

The Bermuda Digest of Statistics 2023, released by the Ministry of Economy and Labour, said the island’s continuing recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to the increase.

The 2022 total was also well more than the 2020 figure of $904 million.

In 2019, the year before Covid began to impact the island, the total value of goods imported was $1.12 billion.

With the exception of chemicals, the report said, all imported commodity groups in 2022 had growth in their values.

Fuels represented the largest year-over-year growth at 56 per cent.

Food, beverages and tobacco was the largest commodity group as it comprised 21 per cent of total imports at $256 million.

Finished equipment was just behind at $245 million, or 20 per cent of all imports.

Seventy-one per cent of imported goods, at a value of $849 million, arrived from the United States.

Eleven per cent, or $127 million, arrived from Europe, and 8 per cent, or $102 million, arrived from Canada.

The value of imports rose for each country or region with the exception of the Caribbean.

Canada had the largest increase at 41 per cent, followed by Asia with a 19 per cent increase.

The value of goods exported increased 17 per cent during 2022 to $33.5 million, the highest figure since $36.3 million in 2013.

The primary country of destination was the United States at 85 per cent of the total.