The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for December 2009 that record a trade surplus of R3,7 billion.
Summary
The R3,7 billion surplus for December 2009 was due to a decrease in imports of 13,73 percent and a decrease in exports of 1.08 percent. Exports for December 2009 of R45,36 billion and imports of R41,69 billion resulted in a surplus of R3,67billion.
Imports decreased by R6,64 billion (13.73 percent) to R41,69 billion and exports decreased by R0,49 billion (1,08 percent) to R45,6 billion. The cumulative trade deficit for 2009 is R25,84 billion compared to a deficit of R71,63 in 2008, a decline of R45,79 billion or 64 percent.
Trade highlights by category
The November to December change (down by 13.73 percent) in imports of goods reflected decreases mainly in:
* machinery and electrical appliances (down by R2 billion; 22 percent)
* original equipment components (down by R1,2 billion; 42 percent)
* products of the chemicals or allied industry (down by R0,6 billion; 14 percent)
* base metals and articles thereof (down by R0,6 billion; 30 percent)
* vehicles, aircraft and vessels [down by R0,5 billion; 11 percent)
* plastics and rubber and articles thereof (down by R0,4 billion; 23 percent) and
* a decrease of R0,4 billion (39 percent) in vegetable products
The November to December change (down by 1,08 percent) in exports of goods reflected decreases mainly in:
* vehicles, aircraft and vessels (down by R1,9 billion; 32 percent)
* a decrease of R0,6 billion in base metals and articles thereof (9%) and
* an increase in mineral products of R1,8 billion (25 percent).
Trade highlights by world zone
The world zone results for December 2009 as given below are unaudited, and those for November 2009 are audited.
* Asia: The deficit decreased from R6,1 billion in November 2009 to R5,9 billion in December 2009. Exports increased by R0,6 billion to R13,2 billion and imports increased by R0,3 billion to R19,1 billion.
* Europe: The deficit of R4,2 billion in November 2009 changed to a surplus of R0,9 billion in December 2009. Exports decreased by R0,1 billion to R13,4 billion and imports decreased by R5,3 billion to R12,5 billion.
* America: The deficit of R0,5 billion in November 2009 changed to a surplus of R0,05 billion in December 2009. Exports decreased by R1 billion to R4,6 billion and imports decreased by R1,6 billion to R4,6 billion.
* Africa: The surplus decreased from R3,3 billion in November 2009 to R2,9 billion in December 2009. Exports decreased by R0,5 billion to R7,4 billion and imports decreased by R0,01 billion to R4,5 billion.
For more details, visit: http://www.sars.gov.za/home.asp?pid=211
Issued by: South African Revenue Service
29 January 2010
Source: South African Revenue Service (http://www.sars.gov.za/)
