SARS releases trade statistics for June 2018 Pretoria, 31 July 2018 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for June 2018 recording a trade balance surplus of R12.00 billion. These statistics include trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS). The year-to-date (01 January to 30 June 2018) trade balance deficit of R1.79 billion is a deterioration on the surplus for the comparable period in 2017 of R25.00 billion. Exports year-to-date increased by 1.5% whilst imports for the same period showed an increase of 6.6%.
Including trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS)
The R12.00 billion trade balance surplus for June 2018 is attributable to exports of R110.15 billion and imports of R98.15 billion. Exports increased from May 2018 to June 2018 by R7.27 billion (7.1%) and imports decreased from May 2018 to June 2018 by R0.89 billion (0.9%).
Exports for the year-to-date (01 January to 30 June) increased by 1.5% from R561.55 billion in 2017 to R570.06 billion in 2018. Imports for the year-to-date of R571.85 billion are 6.6% more than the imports recorded in January to June 2017 of R536.55 billion, leaving a cumulative trade balance deficit of R1.79 billion for 2018.
On a year-on-year basis, the R12.00 billion trade balance surplus for June 2018 is an improvement from the surplus recorded in June 2017 of R8.70 billion. Exports of R110.15 billion are 10.0% more than the exports recorded in June 2017 of R100.14 billion. Imports of R98.15 billion are 7.3% more than the imports recorded in June 2017 of R91.44 billion.
May 2018’s trade balance surplus was revised upwards by R0.33 billion from the previous month’s preliminary surplus of R3.52 billion to a revised surplus of R3.84 billion as a result of ongoing Vouchers of Correction (VOC’s).
