Exports up by nearly 4 percent in January

More recent figures are available on this topic. View the latest figures here.
© Hollandse Hoogte / Peter Hilz
In January 2021, the total volume of goods exports was up by 3.6 percent year-on-year, as reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). This is the highest growth in a span of twelve months. The increase was mainly seen in exports of machinery and chemical products. The volume of imports in January was up by 1.6 percent year-on-year.

The CBS Exports Radar indicates that in March circumstances for exports are less unfavourable than they were in January.

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year Month%-change (year-on-year %-change)
2017February6.8
2017March8.3
2017April0.7
2017May4.6
2017June10.7
2017July7.1
2017August7.3
2017September7.9
2017October7
2017November7.1
2017December6.2
2018January4.8
2018February4.3
2018March3.1
2018April6.2
2018May5.3
2018June0.4
2018July2.7
2018August4
2018September3
2018October3.4
2018November0.4
2018December0.6
2019January2.2
2019February-0.3
2019March1.5
2019April1.7
2019May-0.1
2019June0.7
2019July-0.1
2019August3.4
2019September1.4
2019October6.3
2019November2.3
2019December4.5
2020January3.9
2020February1.7
2020March-4.6
2020April-13.3
2020May-11.8
2020June-3.2
2020July0
2020August-3.4
2020September0.7
2020October2.7
2020November1.1
2020December-0.9
2021January3.6

Conditions for exports less unfavourable in March

Every month, CBS also publishes updates on the circumstances for exports in the Exports Radar. Conditions are largely determined by developments on the main export markets for Dutch domestic products and in 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 March are less unfavourable than in January. This is mainly due to increased producer confidence in both Germany and the eurozone. Furthermore, Dutch and European manufacturers have become less pessimistic about their foreign orders.

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.