Pretoria, 31 October 2012 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for September 2012 that record a trade deficit of R13.8 billion.
Summary
The R13.8 billion deficit for September 2012 was due to a decrease in exports of 7.7% and a decrease in imports of 4.2%.
Exports for September 2012 of R56.7 billion and imports of R70.5 billion resulted in a deficit of R13.8 billion.
Exports decreased by R4.7 billion (-7.7%) and imports decreased by R3.1 billion (-4.2%).
The trade deficit for September 2012 is R13.8 billion (surplus of R2.5 billion in September 2011) compared to a deficit of R12.2 billion in August 2012, a month-on-month increase of R1.6 billion.
The cumulative deficit for the year to date is R86.1 billion compared to R5.8 billion in 2011.
Trade Highlights by Category
The August to September change (down by -7.7%) in exports of goods reflected decreases mainly in:
- Precious and semi-precious stones and metals decreased by R 535 million (-4%);
- Mineral products decreased by R 583 million (-4%);
- Base metals and articles thereof decreased by R 709 million (-9%);
- Machinery and electrical appliances decreased by R 884 million (-15%) and
- Vegetable products decreased by R 967 million (-30%).
The August to September change (down by -4.2%) in imports of goods reflected decreases mainly in:
- Vehicles, aircraft and vessels increased by R 906 million (13%);
- Mineral products decreased by R 370 million (-2%);
- Machinery and electrical appliances decreased by R 614 million (-4%);
- Products of the chemical or allied industries decreased by R 935 million (-13%); and
- Original equipment components decreased by R 985 million (-19%).
Trade Highlights by World Zone
The world zone results for August and September 2012 as given below are unaudited.
- Asia The deficit increased from R 11.3bn in August to R 13.4bn in September 2012. Exports decreased by R 2.2bn
- to R 18.5bn and imports decreased by R 0.1bn to R 31.9bn.
Europe: The deficit increased from R 8.3bn in August to R 8.3bn in September 2012. Exports decreased by R 1.0bn - to R 13.1bn and imports decreased by R 1.0bn to R 21.4bn.
America: The deficit increased from R 0.5bn in August to R 1.0bn in September 2012. Exports decreased by R 0.9bn - to R 6.7bn and imports decreased by R 0.3bn to R 7.7bn.
Africa: The surplus increased from R 1.8bn in August to R 3.5bn in September 2012. Exports decreased by R 0.1bn - to R 11.9bn and imports decreased by R 1.8bn to R 8.4bn.
- Oceania The deficit increased from R 0.0bn in August to R 0.3bn in September 2012. Exports decreased by R 0.3bn
to R 0.6bn and imports increased by R 0.0bn to R 1.0bn.
For more detail, visit Customs and Excise; Trade Data.
SA Trade Release Table:
