In August, exports decreased for the third month
According to Statistics Estonia, in August 2019, compared to August 2018, the exports of goods decreased by 3% and imports by 7%. The trade decrease was mainly due to declined exports and imports of mineral products (shale oil, motor spirit, fuel additives and electricity).
In August, Estonia’s exports amounted to 1.15 billion euros and imports to 1.25 billion euros at current prices. The trade deficit was 99 million euros, which is 63 million euros less than in August 2018.
The top destination countries of Estonia’s exports were Finland (17% of total exports), Sweden (11%) and Latvia (9%). The biggest decrease occurred in exports to Latvia (down 26 million euros) and the Netherlands (down by 12 million euros), while exports to Canada increased the most. Mineral products were exported less to Latvia and the Netherlands, but more to Canada.
The biggest exports were electrical equipment (15% of Estonia’s total exports) and mineral products (11%). The greatest impact on the decline in exports came from mineral products (down by 56 million euros). Exports increased the most for agricultural products and food preparations (up by 16 million euros) and base metals and articles of base metal (up by 12 million euros).
Goods of Estonian origin accounted for 71% of the total exports of goods. Their exports decreased by 3% and re-exports by 2% compared to August 2018. The biggest decrease was in the exports of mineral products, and wood and articles of wood, while the biggest increase occurred for agricultural products and food preparations (barley, rapeseed).
In August, the main countries of consignment were Finland (14% of total imports), Lithuania (11%) and Germany (10%). Imports decreased the most from Russia (down by 50 million euros) and Belarus (down by 20 million euros), due to a decrease in the imports of mineral products. Imports increased the most from Finland (up by 9 million euros) mainly on account of mineral products (electricity).
The main commodities imported to Estonia were electrical equipment (14% of total imports) and mineral products (both 11%). The biggest decrease was in the imports of mineral products (down by 81 million euros) and mechanical appliances (down by 13 million euros). Imports of paper and articles thereof increased the most (up by 4 million euros).
| Month | Exports, million euros | Imports, million euros | Balance, million euros | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2019 | change, % | 2018 | 2019 | change, % | 2018 | 2019 | |
| TOTAL | 9,374 | 9,640 | 3 | 10,618 | 10,669 | 0 | -1,244 | -1,029 |
| January | 1,035 | 1,158 | 12 | 1,254 | 1,279 | 2 | -219 | -121 |
| February | 1,118 | 1,163 | 4 | 1,203 | 1,252 | 4 | -85 | -89 |
| March | 1,143 | 1,240 | 8 | 1,344 | 1,404 | 4 | -201 | -164 |
| April | 1,195 | 1,239 | 4 | 1,342 | 1,389 | 4 | -147 | -150 |
| May | 1,238 | 1,342 | 8 | 1,407 | 1,437 | 2 | -169 | -95 |
| June | 1,269 | 1,173 | -8 | 1,404 | 1,285 | -8 | -135 | -112 |
| July | 1,193 | 1,174 | -2 | 1,319 | 1,375 | 4 | -126 | -201 |
| August | 1,184 | 1,150 | -3 | 1,345 | 1,249 | -7 | -162 | -99 |
| Country of destination, group of countries | Exports, million euros | Share, % | Change on same month of previous year, % | Country of consignment, group of countries | Imports, million euros | Share, % | Change on same month of previous year, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 1,150 | 100 | -3 | TOTAL | 1,249 | 100 | -7 |
| EU-28 | 801 | 70 | -4 | EU-28 | 1,004 | 80 | -1 |
| Euro area 19 | 549 | 48 | -7 | Euro area 19 | 718 | 57 | -3 |
| Non-EU | 349 | 30 | 1 | Non-EU | 245 | 20 | -26 |
| 1. Finland | 195 | 17 | -3 | 1. Finland | 170 | 14 | 6 |
| 2. Sweden | 131 | 11 | -4 | 2. Lithuania | 134 | 11 | -6 |
| 3. Latvia | 98 | 9 | -21 | 3. Germany | 125 | 10 | -5 |
| 4. USA | 79 | 7 | 3 | 4. Sweden | 117 | 9 | 6 |
| 5. Germany | 74 | 6 | 2 | 5. Latvia | 110 | 9 | 1 |
| 6. Russia | 73 | 6 | 8 | 6. Russia | 91 | 7 | -36 |
| 7. Lithuania | 70 | 6 | -4 | 7. Poland | 84 | 7 | 7 |
| 8. Norway | 54 | 5 | 3 | 8. Netherlands | 55 | 4 | -25 |
| 9. Denmark | 46 | 4 | 31 | 9. China | 46 | 4 | -14 |
| 10. Poland | 35 | 3 | 30 | 10. Italy | 30 | 2 | -9 |
| Commodity section (chapter) by Combined Nomenclature (CN) | Exports | Imports | Balance, million euros | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| million euros | share, % | change compared to same period of previous year, % | million euros | share,% | change compared to same period of previous year, % | ||
| TOTAL | 1,150 | 100 | -3 | 1,249 | 100 | -7 | -99 |
| Agricultural products and food preparations (I–IV) | 104 | 9 | 18 | 131 | 10 | -1 | -26 |
| Mineral products (V) | 122 | 11 | -32 | 136 | 11 | -37 | -14 |
| Raw materials and products of chemical industry (VI) | 62 | 6 | -5 | 116 | 9 | 1 | -55 |
| Articles of plastics and rubber (VII) | 37 | 3 | 1 | 73 | 6 | -4 | -36 |
| Wood and articles of wood (IX) | 105 | 9 | -7 | 45 | 4 | -6 | 60 |
| Paper and articles thereof (X) | 26 | 2 | -16 | 24 | 2 | 18 | 2 |
| Textiles and textile articles (XI) | 35 | 3 | 2 | 59 | 5 | -4 | -24 |
| Base metals and articles of base metal (XV) | 104 | 9 | 13 | 124 | 10 | 0 | -21 |
| Mechanical appliances (84) | 103 | 9 | 1 | 121 | 10 | -10 | -19 |
| Electrical equipment (85) | 176 | 15 | -1 | 169 | 14 | -2 | 7 |
| Transport equipment (XVII) | 79 | 7 | 5 | 124 | 10 | 0 | -45 |
| Optical, measuring, precision instruments (XVIII) | 38 | 3 | 1 | 28 | 2 | -9 | 10 |
| Miscellaneous manufactured articles (XX) | 105 | 9 | -3 | 34 | 3 | 6 | 71 |
| Other | 55 | 5 | 18 | 64 | 4 | 11 | -9 |
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 September 2019, and on the customs declaration data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, which were sent to Statistics Estonia on 20 September 2019. Statistics Estonia published the monthly summary of foreign trade in 13 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.