In the previous year exports to Finland and Sweden decreased the most

News
Posted on 26 February 2010, 10:00
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2009 the exports at current prices decreased 24% and imports 33% compared to 2008. Exports to Finland and Sweden decreased most by the trade value. In the last months of the year the decline in the trade slowed down.

In 2009 the value of exports of goods from Estonia made up 101.3 billion kroons and imports to Estonia accounted for 114.1 billion kroons in current prices. Compared to 2008, the value of exports decreased by 31.1 billion kroons and imports by 56 billion kroons. The trade deficit was announced as 12.8 billion kroons, which was threefold smaller than in the previous year.

Estonia’s foreign trade, January–December, 2008–2009
Month Exports, million kroons Imports, million kroons Balance, million
kroons
2008 2009 change,
%  
2008 2009 change,
%
2008 2009
Total 132 446 101 310 -24 170 042 114 083 -33 -37 596 -12 773
January 10 154 7 265 -28 13 725 8 800 -36 -3 571 -1 535
February 10 677 7 820 -27 13 641 8 727 -36 -2 964 -907
March 10 647 8 346 -22 14 145 9 746 -31 -3 498 -1 400
April 12 332 7 742 -37 15 916 9 291 -42 -3 584 -1 549
May 11 549 8 165 -29 14 507 8 472 -42 -2 958 -307
June 10 862 9 561 -12 14 140 9 907 -30 -3 278 -346
July 10 969 8 242 -25 15 047 9 389 -38 -4 078 -1 147
August 11 142 8 125 -27 13 420 9 263 -31 -2 278 -1 138
September 12 300 9 442 -23 15 195 10 133 -33 -2 895 -691
October 13 249 8 957 -32 15 656 9 728 -38 -2 407 -771
November 9 897 9 083 -8 12 929 10 390 -20 -3 032 -1 307
December 8 669 8 564 -1 11 724 10 237 -13 -3 055 -1 673

The main countries of destination were Finland (18% of Estonia’s total exports), Sweden (13%) and Latvia (10%). Exports declined to all countries of destination, the most to Finland and Sweden –—nearly by 5.6 billion kroons compared to 2008. The decline of exports to Finland and Sweden was mainly caused by the decrease of exports of electrical equipment and of wood and articles thereof.

The main countries of consignment were Finland (14% of Estonia’s total imports), Lithuania (11%), Germany and Latvia (10%, both countries).  Imports declined from all the main countries of consignment, the most from Germany (by 10.9 billion kroons), Finland and Sweden (by 7.5 billion kroons from both countries). From Germany and Sweden imports declined due to the decrease in imports of vehicles and parts thereof; from Finland due to the decrease in imports of machinery and equipment.

In 2009, in exports, among the commodity sections the first place was held by the section of machinery and equipment (a fifth of Estonia’s total exports), followed by mineral products (17%) and agricultural products and food preparations (10%). There was a significant decrease in exports of machinery and equipment (by 9 billion kroons) as well as metals and products thereof (7.1 billion kroons). Only exports of mineral products (incl. oil products) increased (by 1 billion kroons).

In 2009, in imports, the first place was held by machinery and equipment (a fifth of the total imports), followed by machinery and equipment (19%) and agricultural products and food preparations (13%). The turnover of imports declined among all the commodity sections, the most significantly in the imports of machinery and equipment (by 14.8 billion kroons) and of transport equipment (by 11.5 billion kroons).

The biggest trade deficit was mentioned in the trade of mineral products (6 billion kroons) and raw materials and products of chemical industry (5.2 billion kroons). The biggest surplus was mentioned in the trade of wood and products thereof (5.8 billion kroons).

In December 2009 the value of exports of goods was 8.6 billion kroons. Exports decreased 1% compared to December of 2008. The value of imports was 10.2 billion kroons, imports declined by 13% compared to December 2008. The decline in both exports and imports was mainly caused by the decrease in trade with machinery and equipment.
Main foreign trade partners of Estonia, 2009
Groups of countries,
countries of destination
Exports Groups of countries,
countries of consignment
Imports
million
kroons
change
compared to
previous year,
%
share,
%
million kroons change
compared to
previous year,
%
share,
%
Total 101 310 -24 100 Total 114 083 -33 100
EU27 70 350 -24 69 EU27 90 898 -33 80
CIS 11 929 -33 12 CIS 13 052 -37 11
1.Finland 18 621 -23 18 1.Finland 16 482 -31 14
2. Sweden 12 673 -31 13 2. Lithuania 12 456 -18 11
3. Latvia 9 810 -26 10 3. Germany 11 905 -48 10
4. Russia 9 424 -32 9 4. Latvia 11 599 -24 10
5. Germany 6 109 -8 6 5. Russia 10 016 -23 9
6. Lithuania 4 943 -34 5 6. Sweden 9 548 -44 8
7. USA 4 288 -33 4 7. Poland 6 275 -19 6
8. Denmark 3 452 -20 3 8. Netherlands 4 214 -26 4
9. Norway 3 230 -26 3 9. France 2 918 -15 3
10. Nigeria 2 955 175 3 10. Denmark 2 671 -26 2
Exports and imports by commodity sections, 2009
Commodity section by Combined Nomenclature (CN) Exports Imports Balance,
million kroons
million
kroons
share,
%
change
compared to
previous year,
%
million kroons share,
%
change
compared to
previous year,
%
TOTAL 101 310 100 -24 114 083 100 -33 -12 773
Agricultural products and food preparations (I–IV) 10 195 10 -15 14 492 13 -18 -4 297
Mineral products (V) 17 023 17 6 22 988 20 -15 -5 965
Raw materials and products of chemical industry (VI) 5 584 6 -21 10 755 9 -21 -5 171
Articles of plastics and rubber (VII) 3 175 3 -24 6 107 5 -26 -2 932
Wood and products thereof (IX) 8 693 9 -23 2 931 3 -30 5 762
Paper and articles thereof (X) 3 311 3 -16 3 065 3 -17 246
Textiles and products thereof (XI) 4 111 4 -26 6 079 5 -29 -1 968
Metals and products thereof (XV) 8 857 9 -45 8 840 8 -51 17
Machinery and equipment (XVI) 19 873 20 -31 21 943 19 -40 -2 070
Transport equipment (XVII) 6 620 7 -36 7 167 6 -62 -547
Miscellaneous manufactured articles (XX) 8 385 8 -12 2 825 2 -30 5 560
Other 5 483 5 -28 6 891 6 -26 -1 408