News
South Africa Merchandise Trade Statistics for December 2015
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has released trade statistics for December 2015 that recorded a trade surplus of R8.22 billion. This figure includes trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS).
Including trade data with BLNS
The R8.22 billion surplus for December 2015 is due to exports of R88.77 billion and imports of R80.55 billion. Exports decreased from November 2015 to December 2015 by R4.80 billion (5.1%) and imports decreased from November 2015 to December by R12.34 billion (13.3%).
The R8.22 billion surplus is a 4.4% increase on the surplus recorded in December 2014 of R7.88 billion.
Exports of R88.77 billion are 0.3% more than the exports recorded in December 2014 of R88.47 billion. Imports of R80.55 billion are 0.1% less than the imports recorded in December 2014 of R80.59 billion. The cumulative deficit for 2015 of R48.63 billion is 40.9% less than the deficit for the comparable period in 2014 of R82.27 billion.
The month of November 2015 trade balance surplus was revised downwards by R1.09 billion from the previous month’s preliminary surplus of R1.77 billion to a revised surplus of R0.68 billion.
Trade highlights by category
The month-on-month export movements (R’ million):
| Section: | Including BLNS: | |
| Vehicle & Transport Equipment | - R3 595 | - 27.6% |
| Machinery & Electronics | - R1 338 | - 14.4% |
| Precious Metals & Stones | - R 921 | - 4.9% |
| Mineral Products | - R 227 | - 1.3% |
| Vegetable Products | + R 1 463 | + 49.6% |
The month-on-month import movements (R’ million):
| Section: | Including BLNS: | |
| Machinery & Electronics | - R 3 897 | - 15.9% |
| Equipment Components | - R1 632 | - 34.7% |
| Base Metals | - R1 194 | - 22.3% |
| Textiles | - R1 163 | - 29.8% |
| Vehicle & Transport Equipment | + R1 246 | + 14.5% |
Trade highlights by world zone
The world zone results from November 2015 to December 2015 are given below.
Africa:
Trade surplus: R13 810 million – This is a 17.3% decrease in comparison to the R16 696 million surplus recorded in November 2015.
America:
Trade deficit: R1 903 million – This is a deterioration in comparison to the R3 million surplus recorded in November 2015.
Asia:
Trade deficit: R6 416 million – This is a 62.2% decrease in comparison to the R16 952 million deficit recorded in November 2015.
Europe:
Trade deficit: R5 271 million – This is a 40.1% decrease in comparison to the R8 796 million deficit recorded in November 2015.
Oceania:
Trade surplus: R 36 million – This is an improvement in comparison to the R 53 million deficit recorded in November 2015.
Excluding trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS)
The trade data excluding BLNS for December 2015 recorded a trade deficit of R0.04 billion. This is a result of exports of R78.30 billion and imports of R78.34 billion.
Exports decreased from November 2015 to December 2015 by R2.96 billion (3.6%) and imports decreased from November 2015 to December 2015 by R11.42 billion (12.7%).
The cumulative deficit for 2015 is R154.40 billion compared to R185.82 billion in 2014.
Trade highlights by category
The month-on-month export movements (R’ million):
| Section: | Excluding BLNS: | |
| Vehicle & Transport Equipment | - R3 104 | - 27.1% |
| Precious Metals & Stones | - R 910 | - 4.8% |
| Machinery & Electronics | - R 823 | - 11.1% |
| Mineral Products | - R 456 | - 2.9% |
| Vegetable Products | + R1 422 | + 61.1% |
The month-on-month import movements (R’ million):
| Section: | Excluding BLNS: | |
| Machinery & Electronics | - R3 694 | - 15.2% |
| Equipment Components | - R1 632 | - 34.7% |
| Base Metals | - R1 197 | - 22.6% |
| Plastics & Rubber | - R 971 | - 23.8% |
| Vehicles & Transport Equipment | + R1 257 | + 14.7% |
Trade highlights by world zone
The world zone results other than Africa from November 2015 to December 2015 are given above.
Africa:
Trade surplus: R5 549 million – This is a 26.1% decrease in comparison to the R7 507 million surplus recorded in November 2015.
Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (Only)
Trade statistics with the BLNS for December 2015 recorded a trade surplus of R8.26 billion. This is a result of exports of R10.47 billion and imports of R2.21 billion.
Exports decreased from November 2015 to December 2015 by R1.85 billion (15.0%) and imports decreased from November 2015 to December 2015 by R0.92 billion (29.4%).
The cumulative surplus for 2015 is R105.77 billion compared to R103.54 billion in 2014.
Trade highlights by category
The month-on-month export movements (R’ million):
| Section: | BLNS: | |
| Machinery & Electronics | - R 515 | - 27.3% |
| Vehicles & Transport Equipment | - R 491 | - 31.6% |
| Base Metals | - R 286 | - 32.6% |
| Plastics and Rubber | - R 191 | - 29.6% |
| Mineral Products | + R229 | + 14.1% |
The month-on-month import movements (R’ million):
| Section: | BLNS: | |
| Textiles | - R 247 | - 43.8% |
| Chemical Products | - R 207 | - 22.6% |
| Machinery & Electronics | - R 203 | - 66.0% |
| Prepared Foodstuff | - R 59 | - 12.0% |
| Precious Metals & Stones | + R 5 | + 15.2% |
