Exports down by over 11 percent in April

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© Hollandse Hoogte / Frans Lemmens luchtfotografie
In April 2020, the total volume of goods exports shrank by 11.2 percent year-on-year, as reported by Statistics Netherlands. This is the biggest contraction in exports since July 2009. In April, exports of transport equipment and machinery decreased in particular. Domestic exports contracted more significantly than re-exports. The volume of imports was 8 percent lower year-on-year. This is the biggest contraction since November 2009. In April, imports of transport equipment, machinery and clothing declined in particular.

The CBS Exports Radar indicates that in June circumstances for exports are less favourable than they were in April.

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year Month%-change (year-on-year %-change)
2016May6.3
2016June2.3
2016July2.9
2016August3
2016September5.8
2016October3.3
2016November6.4
2016December5.3
2017January1.7
2017February6.7
2017March8.3
2017April0.7
2017May4.6
2017June10.8
2017July7
2017August7.2
2017September7.8
2017October6.9
2017November7
2017December6.1
2018January4.7
2018February4.6
2018March3.2
2018April6.8
2018May4.6
2018June0.3
2018July2.8
2018August2.7
2018September3.2
2018October3.2
2018November1
2018December0.5
2019January2.2
2019February-0.5
2019March1.1
2019April1.5
2019May-0.3
2019June0.6
2019July0
2019August3.5
2019September1.4
2019October5.6
2019November2.2
2019December4.6
2020January3
2020February1.4
2020March-4.5
2020April-11.2

Conditions for exports in June more unfavourable than in April

Every month, CBS also publishes updates on the circumstances for exports in the Exports Radar. Conditions are strongly affected by recent developments on the main export markets for Dutch products and by the competitive position of the Netherlands. Although the Radar indicators show a strong correlation with export activity, improved circumstances are not necessarily translated into increased export growth.

According to the CBS Exports Radar, circumstances for exports in June are more unfavourable than in April. This is mainly because the year-on-year decline in German manufacturing output was substantially larger. Furthermore, Dutch and European manufacturers were more pessimistic about their foreign order position. Producer confidence in Germany and the eurozone was also more unfavourable.

Goods exports account for approximately three-quarters of total exports. As for data on exports of services, these are not published monthly. Data on total exports are published quarterly and annually. Figures published in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.