In April, trade growth continued

In April, exports (at current prices) from Estonia amounted to 1.2 billion euros and imports to Estonia to 1.4 billion euros. The trade deficit was 156 million euros, which was 11 million euros more than in the same period last year.

In April, the top destination countries of Estonia’s exports were Finland (16% of Estonia’s total exports), Sweden (10%) and Latvia (9%). The biggest increase occurred in exports to the Netherlands (up by 24 million euros), the USA (up by 23 million euros) and Australia (up by 15 million euros). In exports to the Netherlands, the biggest increase occurred in the exports of mineral products (heavy oil, shale oil); to the USA, in the exports of electrical equipment (communication equipment), and to Australia, in the exports of mineral products (motor spirit). The biggest decrease occurred in exports to Canada and Norway (both down by 11 million euros). Miscellaneous manufactured articles (prefabricated wood buildings) were exported less to Norway and electrical equipment (communication equipment) to Canada.

The biggest share in exports of goods was held by electrical equipment (15% of Estonia’s total exports), followed by mineral products (13%), and wood and articles of wood (11%). The biggest impact on export growth came from transport equipment (up by 14 million euros), agricultural products and food preparations (up by 13 million euros) and electrical equipment (up by 7 million euros). The biggest decrease occurred in exports of miscellaneous manufactured articles (down by 9 million euros).

The share of goods of Estonian origin in total exports was 72% in April. The exports of goods of Estonian origin and re-exports grew by 4%, year-on-year. In the exports of goods of Estonian origin, the biggest growth was in the exports of electrical equipment (communication equipment) and mechanical appliances (machinery for earth treatment), whereas the exports of miscellaneous manufactured articles (prefabricated wood buildings, furniture) decreased.

In April, the main countries of consignment were Finland, Sweden and Germany (all 11% of Estonia’s total imports). Imports increased the most from Sweden (up by 45 million euros), boosted by imports of electrical and transport equipment. Imports decreased the most from Finland (down by 34 million euros), mainly due to a decrease by a half of imports of mineral products (motor spirit, heavy oil).

The main commodities imported to Estonia were electrical equipment (13% of Estonia’s total imports), transport equipment (12%), mineral products and mechanical appliances (both 11%). The biggest increase was in the imports of transport equipment (up by 17 million euros) and the biggest decrease in the imports of mineral products (down by 20 million euros).

In April 2019, compared to April 2018, the foreign trade export volume index decreased by 1% and the import volume index by 4%.

The statistics are based on the questionnaires “Intrastat” and “Exports (sale of fish and crustaceans in foreign waters and ports)”, the due dates of which were, respectively, 14 and 15 May 2019, and on the customs declaration data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, which were sent to Statistics Estonia on 20 May 2019. Statistics Estonia published the monthly summary of foreign trade in 14 working days. In the case of the statistical activity “Foreign trade”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.