INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE STATISTICS - May 2017

FBoS Release No: 42, 2017

17^th August 2017

imtsMay17a Provisional data put the total value of goods imported in May 2017 at $429.4 million while the value of total exports was $181.1 million. (Refer Graph I).

Compared to May 2016, total imports and total exports increased by $1.7 million (0.4%) and $29.2 million (19.2%) respectively.

The May 2017 trade deficit amounted to $248.3 million compared to $207.1 million a month earlier (April).

HIGHLIGHTS

IMPORTS

imtsMay17b

The percentage breakdown of major import commodities as categorized by the Harmonized System (HS) codes are as follows;

Table 1: Major contributors to Imports FJD [Millions]

imtsMay17c

Compared to May 2016, the import categories recording notable increases were:

Mineral products [HS 25-27], up $19.1 million (26.0%) to $92.7 million due to increased imports of gas oil (diesel);
Machinery & mechanical & electrical appliances & parts thereof [HS 84-85], up $6.7 million (8.8%) to $82.6 million due to increased imports of machines for reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including switching and routing apparatus; and
Vegetable products [HS 06-14], up $5.6 million (21.5%) to $31.7 million due to increased imports of wheat and meslin.

Compared to May 2016, the import categories recording notable decreases were:

Live animals: animal products [HS 01-05], down $5.4 million (16.5%) to $27.2 million due to decreased imports of fresh fish;
Base metals & articles thereof [HS 72-83], down $5.4 million (18.8%) to $23.4 million due to decreased imports of articles of iron and steel; and
Prepared foodstuffs, beverages spirits & tobacco [HS 16-24], down $5.0 million (22.1%) to $17.7 million due to decreased imports of sweet biscuits.

imtsMay17d For the month of May 2017, Fiji’s major sources of imports (Refer Graph III) were:

Singapore, up $29.3 million (45.2%) to $94.2 million due to increased imports of gas oil (diesel);
Australia, down $3.3 million (4.3%) to $72.4 million due to decreased imports of semi-milled & wholly milled rice;
New Zealand, down $8.9 million (11.4%) to $69.0 million due to decreased imports of milk and cream;
China – People’s Republic, down $12.3 million (17.6%) to $57.8 million due to decreased imports of cement clinkers; and
Japan, down $4.6 million (19.0%) to $19.6 million due to decreased imports of vehicles.

DOMESTIC EXPORTS

imtsMay17e

The percentage breakdown of major domestic export commodities as categorized by the Harmonized System (HS) codes are as follows;

Table 2: Major contributors to Domestic Exports FJD [Millions]

imtsMay17f

Compared to May 2016, the domestic exports category recording a notable increase was:

Prepared foodstuffs, beverages, spirits & tobacco [HS 16-24], up $29.7 million (104.1%) to $58.2 million due to increased exports of sugar.

Compared to May 2016, there were no notable decreases for domestic export categories.

imtsMay17g For the month of May 2017, Fiji’s major domestic export destinations (Refer Graph V) were:

United Kingdom, up $5.4 million (24.6%) to $27.3 million due to increased exports of sugar;
United States of America, up $24.6 million (3,891.8%) to $25.2 million due to increased exports of mineral water;
Australia, up $1.6 million (7.7%) to $22.7 million due to increased exports of gold;
New Zealand, down $0.4 million (7.8%) to $4.5 million due to decreased exports of sweet biscuits; and
Vanuatu, down $1.7 million (30.5%) to $3.8 million due to decreased exports of flour.

* Domestic export of gold is under query.

RE-EXPORTS

imtsMay17h

The percentage breakdown of major re-export commodities as categorized by the Harmonized System (HS) codes are as follows;

Table 3: Major contributors to Re-exports FJD [Millions]

imtsMay17i

Compared to May 2016, the re-export category recording a notable increase was:

Live animal [HS 01-05], up $11.8 million (108.7%) to $22.6 million due to increased re-exports of tunas.

Compared to May 2016, the re-export category recording a notable decrease was:

Machinery & mechanical & electrical appliances & parts thereof [HS 84-85], down $5.0 million (45.4%) to $6.1 million due to decreased re-exports of telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks.

imtsMay17j For the month of May 2017, Fiji’s major re-export destinations (Refer Graph VII) were:

China - People’s Republic, up $4.4 million (100.1%) to $8.8 million due to increased re-exports of yellow fin tunas;
Tonga, up $1.8 million (43.5%) to $6.0 million due to increased re-exports of gas oil (diesel);
China - Taiwan, up $5.3 million (2,267.9%) to $5.5 million due to increased re-exports of yellow fin tunas;
Japan, up $3.2 million (179.2%) to $5.0 million due to increased re-export of fresh fish; and
New Zealand, down $3.5 million (45.7%) to $4.2 million due to decreased re-exports of iron and steel.