INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE STATISTICS - August 2017

FBoS Release No: 75, 2017

21st December 2017

August 2017 graph1 Fiji overall performance

Provisional data put the total value of goods imported in August 2017 at $432.4 million while the value of total exports was $210.7 million. (Refer Graph I).

Compared to August 2016, total imports decreased by $63.5 million (12.8%) whereas total exports increased by $7.9 million (3.9%).

The August 2017 trade deficit amounted to $221.7 million compared to $208.8 million a month earlier (July).

HIGHLIGHTS

IMPORTS

GraphII import commodities

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]

Table 1 Major contributors to imports FJD

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

• Vegetable products [HS 06-14], up $9.9 million (46.8%) to $31.1 million due to increased imports of wheat and meslin; and

• Miscellaneous manufactured articles [HS 94-96], up $5.4 million (37.8%) to $19.5 million due to increased imports of other prefabricated buildings.

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

Live animals: animal products [HS 01-05], down $19.2 million (48.8%) to $20.1 million due to decreased imports of fresh fish;
Vehicles, aircraft & associated transport equipment [HS 86-89], down $42.8 million (58.1%) to $30.8 million due to decreased imports of vehicles;
Plastic, rubber & articles thereof [HS 39-40], down 7.2 million (27.2%) to $19.1 million due to decreased imports of articles of plastic for the packing of goods;
Prepared foodstuffs, beverages, spirits & tobacco [HS 16-24], down $5.8 million (23.0%) to $19.4 million due to decreased imports of wine; and
• Wood pulp, paper & paperboard, & articles thereof [HS 47-49], down $5.7 million (35.5%) to $10.4 million due to decreased imports of corrugated paper & paperboard.

graph III imports Major sources

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

• China People’s Republic, up $1.9 million (2.3%) to $83.0 million due to increased imports of prefabricated buildings;
• New Zealand, down $0.3 million (0.4%) to $80.1 million due to decreased imports of milk and cream;
• Australia, down $18.7 million (19.5%) to $77.2 million due to decreased imports of bank and currency notes;
• Singapore, down $11.0 million (14.8%) to $63.5 million due to decreased imports of gas oil (diesel); and
• Korea, Republic of, up $11.9 million (96.6%) to $24.2 million due to increased imports of residual fuel oil.

DOMESTIC EXPORTS

Graph IV Domestic Export commodities

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]

Table 2 Major contributors to domestic exports

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

Prepared foodstuffs, beverages, spirits & tobacco [HS 16-24], up $5.0 million (7.9%) to $68.4 million due to increased exports of sugar.

Graph V Domestic Exports Major Destinations

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

For the month of August 2017, Fiji’s major domestic export destinations (Refer Graph V) were:
• Australia, up $3.5 million (15.0%) to $26.8 million due to increased exports of gold;
• United States of America, up $1.0 million (4.4%) to $24.9 million due to increased exports of mineral water;
• New Zealand, up $2.9 million (58.9%) to $7.9 million due to increased exports of dalo;
• Vanuatu, down $1.9 million (35.9%) to $3.5 million due to decreased exports of flour; and
• Samoa, up $0.7 million (26.9%) to $3.4 million due to increased exports of sugar.

* Domestic export of gold is under query.

RE-EXPORTS

Graph VI Re export commodities

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]

table 3

Compared to August 2016, the re-export category recording notable increases were:

Machinery & mechanical & electrical appliances & parts thereof [HS 84-85], up $13.0 million (325.8%) to $16.9 million due to increased re-exports of television cameras, digital camera and video camera recorders; and
Live animals: animal products [HS 01-05], up $10.3 million (61.5%) to $27.0 million due to increased re-exports of fresh fish.

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

Mineral products [HS 25-27], down $23.2 million (50.1%) to $23.1 million due to decreased re-exports of aviation or turbine fuel.

Graph VII Re export major destinations

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

New Zealand, up $11.5 million (238.5%) to $16.3 million due to increased re-exports of containers for compressed or liquefied gas, of iron or steel;
China – People’s Republic, up $6.2 million (114.6%) to $11.7 million due to increased re-exports of fresh fish;
Australia, up $3.2 million (123.2%) to $5.8 million due to increased re-exports of television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders;
Japan, up $2.5 million (97.7%) to $5.1 million due to increased re-exports of fresh fish; and
Tonga, up $0.5 million (10.1%) to $5.1 million due to increased re-exports of gas oil (diesel).