In March the trade was smaller than in the previous year

Photo: TOOMAS HUIK/PM/SCANPIX BALTICS

According to Statistics Estonia, in March 2013, both exports and imports of goods decreased by 6% at current prices compared to March of the previous year. Exports and imports decreased for two months in succession, in February the trade decreased by 2% in both flows compared to the same month of the previous year.

In March, exports from Estonia amounted to 1.01 billion euros and imports to Estonia to 1.12 billion euros at current prices. The trade deficit was 116 million euros and it slightly decreased compared to March 2012.

The top destination countries of Estonia’s exports were Sweden (17% of Estonia’s total exports), followed by Finland (15%) and Latvia (11%). Compared to March 2012, the decrease in total exports was mostly influenced by the decrease in the dispatches to Sweden and Russia (down by 7% and 9%, respectively). Exports to Latvia and Belgium increased significantly (by 31% and 101%, respectively). Electrical equipment and wood and products thereof were the main commodities exported to Sweden and Finland, fuels and vehicles and parts thereof to Latvia.

The main countries of consignment were Finland (14% of Estonia’s total imports), Sweden, Latvia and Germany (9% from each). Compared to March of the previous year, arrivals of goods from China and Sweden increased the most (by 46% and 12%, respectively). At the same time, arrivals of goods from Russia and Finland decreased (by 27% and 9%, respectively). Fuels were the main commodities imported from Finland and Latvia, electrical equipment from Sweden and mechanical equipment from Germany.

In Estonia’s exports in March, the biggest share was held by machinery and equipment (28% of Estonia’s total exports), followed by mineral products (incl. petrol, shale oils and electricity) (11%), wood and products thereof and agricultural products and food preparations (both 9%). The decrease in exports compared to March 2012 was mainly influenced by the decrease in the dispatches of mineral fuels (down by 38%). At the same time the increase was mentioned in the dispatches of the raw materials and products of chemical industry and wood and products thereof (the growth rate 31% and 12%, respectively).

In March the biggest share of Estonia’s imports was held by machinery and equipment (28% of Estonia’s total imports), followed by mineral products (14%) and agricultural products and food preparations (10%). The decrease in total imports was mostly influenced by the decline in the arrivals of mineral products and transport equipment (down by 34% and 14%, respectively). The arrivals of raw materials and products of chemical industry increased (9%).

Compared to February 2013, both exports and imports increased by 5%. The number of working days was equal in both months.

In the 1st quarter of 2013, exports increased by 3% and imports by 2% compared to the same period of 2012. The slight increase in exports was mainly influenced by the increase in the dispatches of ships and boats (growth rate 157%). The increase in imports was also influenced by the increase of imports of ships and boats, but also by the increase of the arrivals of electrical equipment.

According to Estonian Institute of Economic Research, the economic sentiment indicator, which reflects Estonia’s entrepreneurs’ and consumers’ confidence, has shown a decrease in March and April. Among neighbouring countries, the index was in the rising trend only in Lithuania.

Estonia’s foreign trade, January–March, 2012–2013

Month	Exports, million euros			Imports, million euros			Balance, million euros
	2012	2013	change, %	2012	2013	change, %	2012	2013
January	947.7	1 128.4	19	981.6	1 141.6	16	-33.9	-13.2
February	980.8	956.8	-2	1 090.4	1 069.7	-2	-109.6	-112.9
March	1 073.6	1 005.0	-6	1 198.2	1 121.0	-6	-124.6	-115.9
1st quarter total	3 002.1	3 090.2	3	3 270.2	3 332.3	2	-268.1	-242.0

Main foreign trade partners of Estonia, March 2013

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	1 005.0	100	-6	Total	1 121.0	100	-6
EU27	731.9	73	2	EU27	931.1	83	1
EA	306.5	30	-2	EA	415.4	37	-4
CIS	121.4	12	-16	CIS	82.9	7	-52
1. Sweden	168.5	17	-7	1. Finland	159.0	14	-9
2. Finland	149.9	15	-4	2. Sweden	125.1	11	12
3. Latvia	107.7	11	31	3. Latvia	122.0	11	6
4. Russia	101.4	10	-9	4. Germany	118.0	11	-1
5. Lithuania	67.3	7	18	5. Lithuania	102.1	9	5
6. Germany	47.0	5	-5	6. Poland	77.6	7	10
7. Norway	37.5	4	10	7. Russia	67.5	6	-27
8. Netherlands	32.2	3	-11	8. China	42.6	4	46
9. Belgium	29.8	3	101	9. United Kingdom	39.3	4	-15
10. Denmark	28.9	3	21	10. Netherlands	38.4	3	27

Exports and imports by commodity sections, March 2013

Commodity section by Combined Nomenclature (CN)	Exports			Imports			Balance, million euros
	million euros	share, %	change compared to same month of previous year, %	million euros	share, %	change compared to same month of previous year, %
TOTAL	1 005.0	100	-6	1 121.0	100	-6	-115.9
Agricultural products and food preparations (I–IV)	88.1	9	5	113.5	10	4	-25.5
Mineral products (V)	113.6	11	-38	151.6	14	-34	-38.0
Raw materials and products of chemical industry (VI)	62.6	6	31	104.7	9	9	-42.2
Articles of plastics and rubber (VII)	31.8	3	1	55.7	5	0	-24.0
Wood and products thereof (IX)	93.2	9	12	33.4	3	16	59.8
Paper and articles thereof (X)	29.2	3	3	19.6	2	-1	9.6
Textiles and products thereof (XI)	31.7	3	2	49.6	4	6	-17.9
Metals and products thereof (XV)	75.8	8	-23	88.9	8	-10	-13.1
Machinery and equipment (XVI)	285.6	28	-2	318.5	28	0	-33.0
Transport equipment (XVII)	49.0	5	-8	94.8	8	-14	-45.8
Miscellaneous manufactured articles (XX)	73.4	7	3	26.0	2	11	47.4
Other	71.2	8	4	64.5	7	3	6.5