The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for April 2018 recording a trade balance surplus of R1.14 billion. These statistics include trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS). The year-to-date (01 January to 30 April 2018) trade balance deficit of R17.65 billion is a deterioration on the surplus for the comparable period in 2017 of R8.52 billion.
Exports year-to-date decreased by 0.3% whilst imports for the same period showed an increase of 7.2%. Including trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS) The R1.14 billion trade balance surplus for April 2018 is attributable to exports of R88.50 billion and imports of R87.36 billion. Exports decreased from March 2018 to April 2018 by R9.60 billion (9.8%) and imports decreased from March 2018 to April 2018 by R1.44 billion (1.6%).
Exports for the year-to-date (01 January to 30 April) decreased by 0.3% from R358.13 billion in 2017 to R357.08 billion in 2018. Imports for the year-to-date of R374.73 billion are 7.2% more than the imports recorded in January to April 2017 of R349.61 billion, leaving a cumulative trade balance deficit of R17.65 billion for 2018.
On a year-on-year basis, the R1.14 billion trade balance surplus for April 2018 is a deterioration from the surplus recorded in April 2017 of R4.26 billion. Exports of R88.50 billion are 2.0% less than the exports recorded in April 2017 of R90.33 billion. Imports of R87.36 billion are 1.5% more than the imports recorded in April 2017 of R86.07 billion. March 2018’s trade balance surplus was revised downwards by R0.17 billion from the previous month’s preliminary surplus of R9.47 billion to a revised surplus of R9.30 billion as a result of ongoing Vouchers of Correction (VOC’s).
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