In April exports grew on account of exports of fuels
According to Statistics Estonia, in April 2010 exports of goods grew by 37% and imports 18% compared to April of the previous year. Exports increased in the dispatches of all commodity sections, especially fuels.
In April exports of goods from Estonia amounted to 10.6 billion kroons and imports to Estonia 11 billion kroons. Exports increased by 2.9 billion kroons and imports 1.7 billion kroons compared to April 2009. The trade deficit amounted to 0.4 billion kroons, which was over four times more than in April of the previous year.
In April, the biggest share in Estonia’s total exports was held by the commodities of machinery and equipment (nearly a fifth of Estonia’s total exports) and mineral products (15%). Compared to April of the previous year, the biggest increase was in exports of mineral products (incl. motor spirits, fuel oils and electrical energy) — 0.9 billion kroons. The turnover in exports of metals and products thereof increased by 60% or 0.4 billion kroons.
In April the biggest share in imports was also held by machinery and equipment (20% of Estonia’s total imports) and mineral products (16%). In April the turnover of imports increased among all main commodity sections compared to April of the previous year. The biggest increase was announced in the arrivals of metals and products thereof and machinery and equipment (by 0.4 billion kroons both).
The main countries of destination were Finland (18% of Estonia’s total exports), Sweden (14%), Russia and Latvia. Electrical machinery and equipment accounted for the biggest share of exports to Finland and Sweden, vehicles and accessories thereof to Latvia and paints and lacquers to Russia. Compared to April of the previous year, exports to Sweden and Finland increased the most (by 0.5 billion kroons both).
The main countries from where goods were imported to Estonia were Finland (16% of Estonia’s total imports), Latvia (13%) and Germany. Electrical machinery accounted for the biggest share of imports from Finland, fuels from Latvia and iron and steel from Germany. The biggest increase was announced in imports from Finland, Latvia, Germany and Sweden (0.4 billion kroons from each). At the same period imports from Lithuania decreased by 0.4 billion kroons.
According to Eurostat data, exports of the European Union (EU 27) countries increased by 18% compared to April of the previous year.
In April compared to March, exports of Estonia increased by 8%, but imports to Estonia decreased by 12%.
| Month | Exports, million kroons | Imports, million kroons | Balance, million kroons | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 2010 | Change, % | 2009 | 2010 | Change, % | 2009 | 2010 | |
| January | 7 269 | 8 094 | 11 | 8 830 | 8 503 | -4 | -1 562 | -409 |
| February | 7 817 | 9 785 | 25 | 8 755 | 9 599 | 10 | -939 | 186 |
| March | 8 348 | 9 833 | 18 | 9 788 | 12 497 | 28 | -1 440 | -2 664 |
| April | 7 736 | 10 630 | 37 | 9 330 | 10 987 | 18 | -1 594 | -357 |
| Country of destination, group of countries | Exports, million kroons | Share, % | Change compared to same month of previous year, % | Country of consignment, group of countries | Imports, million kroons | Share, % | Change compared to same month of previous year, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 10 630 | 100 | 37 | Total | 10 987 | 100 | 18 |
| EU 27 | 7 412 | 70 | 32 | EU 27 | 8 861 | 81 | 21 |
| Euro area (EA16) | 3 488 | 33 | 28 | Euro area (EA16) | 4 315 | 39 | 25 |
| CIS | 1 218 | 11 | 19 | CIS | 1 269 | 12 | 24 |
| 1. Finland | 1 935 | 18 | 30 | 1. Finland | 1 758 | 16 | 33 |
| 2. Sweden | 1 489 | 14 | 44 | 2. Latvia | 1 381 | 13 | 46 |
| 3. Russia | 972 | 9 | 17 | 3. Germany | 1 294 | 12 | 40 |
| 4. Latvia | 926 | 9 | 35 | 4. Sweden | 1 132 | 10 | 48 |
| 5. Germany | 591 | 6 | -2 | 5. Russia | 1 031 | 9 | 18 |
| 6. USA | 547 | 5 | 115 | 6. Lithuania | 709 | 6 | -36 |
| 7. Lithuania | 540 | 5 | 34 | 7. Poland | 703 | 6 | 55 |
| 8. Denmark | 365 | 3 | 17 | 8. Netherlands | 323 | 3 | -9 |
| 9. Nigeria | 356 | 3 | - | 9. China | 260 | 2 | 43 |
| 10. Norway | 333 | 3 | 47 | 10. Italy | 250 | 2 | 16 |
| Commodity section by Combined Nomenclature (CN) | Exports | Imports | Balance, million kroons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| million kroons | share, % | change compared to same month of previous year, % | million kroons | share, % | change compared to same month of previous year, % | ||
| TOTAL | 10 630 | 100 | 37 | 10 987 | 100 | 18 | -357 |
| Agricultural products and food preparations (I–IV) | 1 012 | 10 | 30 | 1 267 | 12 | 4 | -255 |
| Mineral products (V) | 1 626 | 15 | 122 | 1 763 | 16 | 4 | -137 |
| Raw materials and products of chemical industry (VI) | 530 | 5 | 23 | 1 026 | 9 | 13 | -496 |
| Articles of plastics and rubber (VII) | 345 | 3 | 40 | 652 | 6 | 30 | -307 |
| Wood and products thereof (IX) | 1 128 | 11 | 47 | 364 | 3 | 65 | 764 |
| Paper and articles thereof (X) | 343 | 3 | 44 | 283 | 3 | 16 | 60 |
| Textiles and products thereof (XI) | 359 | 3 | 1 | 621 | 6 | 21 | -262 |
| Metals and products thereof (XV) | 1 180 | 11 | 60 | 1 136 | 10 | 65 | 44 |
| Machinery and equipment (XVI) | 1 995 | 19 | 22 | 2 206 | 20 | 21 | -211 |
| Transport equipment (XVII) | 698 | 7 | 2 | 765 | 7 | 5 | -67 |
| Miscellaneous manufactured articles (XX) | 849 | 8 | 20 | 251 | 2 | 0 | 598 |
| Other | 565 | 5 | 32 | 653 | 6 | 24 | -88 |
The preliminary foreign trade data about April were released by Statistics Estonia on 9 June (on the 40th day after the end of the reference period). This news release provides the revised data and offers a more detailed overview of trade about the month under observation.