In April foreign trade was influenced the most by agricultural products and food preparations
According to Statistics Estonia, in April 2015, exports of goods stayed at the same level and imports decreased by 4% compared to April of the previous year. Foreign trade was influenced the most by a decrease in the exports and imports of agricultural products and food preparations.
In April, exports from Estonia amounted to 1 billion euros and imports to Estonia to 1.1 billion euros at current prices. The trade deficit was 106 million euros and it decreased by 44 million euros compared to April 2014.
The biggest share in Estonia’s exports in April was held by electrical equipment (a fifth of Estonia’s total exports), followed by mineral products (11%) and wood and products thereof (10%). The increase in exports compared to April 2014 was due to a significant increase in the exports of metals and products thereof (up by 15 million euros), miscellaneous manufactured articles (up by 14 million euros) and wood and products thereof (up by 9 million euros). The biggest decrease occurred in the exports of agricultural products and food preparations (down by 20 million euros). In this commodity section, less milk and dairy products, spirits, and fish were exported than in the same month of the previous year.
In April, the main commodities imported were electrical equipment (18% of Estonia’s total imports), mineral products (11%), mechanical appliances (10%), transport equipment (10%) and agricultural products and food preparations (10%). The drop in imports was also influenced the most by a decrease in the imports of agricultural products and food preparations (down by 25 million euros). The imports of mineral products (down by 16 million euros) and mechanical appliances (down by 13 million euros) fell as well. At the same time, the imports of transport equipment increased by 13 million euros.
The top destination country of Estonia’s exports in April was Sweden (18% of Estonia’s total exports), followed by Finland (16%) and Latvia (10%). Electrical equipment and wood and products thereof were the main commodities exported to Sweden; electrical equipment and metals and products thereof were the main commodities exported to Finland; mineral products (incl. electricity) and agricultural products and food preparations were the main commodities exported to Latvia. The biggest increase occurred in exports to Togo and the Netherlands (up by 18 million and 16 million euros, respectively), mainly due to the increased exports of mineral products. At the same time, there was a significant decrease in exports to Russia (down by 40 million euros), with fewer dispatches of mechanical appliances (incl. bulldozers, excavators) and agricultural products and food preparations (incl. spirits, milk and dairy products, fish).
The main countries of consignment in April were Finland (15% of Estonia’s total imports), Germany (11%), Latvia and Lithuania (both 10%). The main commodities imported were electrical equipment and mineral products (incl. motor spirits, electricity) from Finland; mechanical appliances and transport equipment from Germany; and agricultural products and food preparations and electrical equipment from Latvia; mineral products and agricultural products and food preparations from Lithuania. The biggest decrease occurred in imports from the United Kingdom (down by 20 million euros) and from Finland (down by 19 million euros). Imports from the United Kingdom decreased mainly due to a fall in the imports of mechanical appliances and imports from Finland due to a fall in the imports of mineral products (inc. electricity and motor spirits). At the same time, there was increase in imports from China, the Netherlands and Belarus (up by 7 million euros from each country). Imports from China and the Netherlands rose mainly due to the increased imports of electrical equipment, while the imports from Belarus grew mainly due to the increased imports of mineral products.
In April compared to March 2015, exports decreased by 3% and imports by 6%.| Month | Exports, million euros | Imports, million euros | Balance, million euros | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2015 | change, % | 2014 | 2015 | change, % | 2014 | 2015 | |
| TOTAL | 3 882.4 | 3 866.7 | 0 | 4 444.1 | 4 304.1 | -3 | -561.6 | -437.5 |
| January | 907.6 | 921.9 | 2 | 1 018.7 | 959.7 | -6 | -111.1 | -37.8 |
| February | 923.6 | 863.0 | -7 | 1 047.8 | 1 009.1 | -4 | -124.2 | -146.1 |
| March | 1 023.0 | 1 055.8 | 3 | 1 199.5 | 1 203.7 | 0 | -176.5 | -147.9 |
| April | 1 028.2 | 1 025.9 | 0 | 1 178.1 | 1 131.7 | -4 | -149.8 | -105.7 |
| Country of destination, group of countries | Exports, million euros | Share, % | Change compared to same month of previous year, % | Country of consignment, group of countries | Imports, million euros | Share, % | Change compared to same month of previous year, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 1 025.9 | 100 | 0 | TOTAL | 1 131.7 | 100 | -4 |
| EU-28 | 752.5 | 73 | 1 | EU-28 | 919.8 | 81 | -5 |
| EA19 | 473.0 | 46 | -3 | EA19 | 659.6 | 58 | -5 |
| CIS | 79.0 | 8 | -35 | CIS | 91.3 | 8 | -3 |
| 1. Sweden | 183.4 | 18 | 3 | 1. Finland | 165.3 | 15 | -10 |
| 2. Finland | 165.2 | 16 | 0 | 2. Germany | 124.8 | 11 | -3 |
| 3. Latvia | 98.3 | 10 | -15 | 3. Latvia | 98.4 | 9 | -5 |
| 4. Russia | 67.9 | 7 | -37 | 4. Lithuania | 98.4 | 9 | -8 |
| 5. Lithuania | 56.9 | 6 | -1 | 5. Sweden | 92.2 | 8 | -6 |
| 6. Germany | 53.7 | 5 | 5 | 6. Poland | 82.4 | 7 | 4 |
| 7. Norway | 43.6 | 4 | 14 | 7. Russia | 74.4 | 7 | -10 |
| 8. United Kingdom | 36.1 | 4 | 48 | 8. Netherlands | 62.3 | 6 | 13 |
| 9. Netherlands | 35.9 | 3 | -1 | 9. China | 44.0 | 4 | 18 |
| 10. USA | 31.7 | 3 | 102 | 10. United Kingdom | 28.6 | 3 | -41 |
| 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 | 1 025.9 | 100 | 0 | 1 131.7 | 100 | -4 | -105.7 |
| Agricultural products and food preparations (I–IV) | 82.2 | 8 | -19 | 112.7 | 10 | -18 | -30.6 |
| Mineral products (V) | 110.1 | 11 | 1 | 125.2 | 11 | -11 | -15.2 |
| Raw materials and products of chemical industry (VI) | 53.2 | 5 | -1 | 103.8 | 9 | 9 | -50.6 |
| Articles of plastics and rubber (VII) | 35.0 | 3 | -2 | 62.7 | 6 | -6 | -27.7 |
| Wood and products thereof (IX) | 102.3 | 10 | 9 | 35.3 | 3 | -9 | 67.0 |
| Paper and articles thereof (X) | 26.7 | 3 | -3 | 22.6 | 2 | -2 | 4.1 |
| Textiles and products thereof (XI) | 29.1 | 3 | -8 | 47.1 | 4 | -11 | -18.0 |
| Metals and products thereof (XV) | 90.6 | 9 | 20 | 93.4 | 8 | 0 | -2.8 |
| Mechanical appliances (84) | 75.1 | 7 | -11 | 112.6 | 10 | -10 | -37.5 |
| Electrical equipment (85) | 200.1 | 20 | -2 | 199.3 | 18 | 1 | 0.8 |
| Transport equipment (XVII) | 60.8 | 6 | -10 | 109.9 | 10 | 11 | -49.1 |
| Miscellaneous manufactured articles (XX) | 88.9 | 9 | 19 | 27.9 | 2 | 0 | 61.0 |
| Other | 72.0 | 6 | 4 | 79.1 | 7 | 1 | -7.1 |
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 April 2015 and 15 April 2015, and on the customs declaration data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, which were sent to Statistics Estonia on 20 April 2015. Statistics Estonia published the monthly summary of foreign trade in 14 working days.