The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for January 2018 recording a trade balance deficit of R27.66 billion. These statistics include trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS). The year-to-date (01 January to 31 January 2018) trade balance deficit of R27.66 billion is a deterioration on the deficit for the comparable period in 2017 of R11.28 billion. Exports year-on-year grew by 0.5% whilst imports for the same period showed an increase of 18.3%.
Including trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS)
The R27.66 billion trade balance deficit for January 2018 is attributable to exports of R80.51 billion and imports of R108.17 billion. Exports decreased from December 2017 to January 2018 by R23.52 billion (22.6%) and imports increased from December 2017 to January 2018 by R19.45 billion (21.9%). On a year-on-year basis, the R27.66 billion trade balance deficit for January 2018 is a deterioration from the deficit recorded in January 2017 of R11.28 billion. Exports of R80.51 billion are 0.5% more than the exports recorded in January 2017 of R80.14 billion. Imports of R108.17 billion are 18.3% more than the imports recorded in January 2017 of R91.41 billion. December 2017’s trade balance surplus was revised downwards by R0.41 billion from the previous month’s preliminary surplus of R15.72 billion to a revised surplus of R15.31 billion as a result of ongoing Vouchers of Correction (VOC’s).
