Finland sees €322m trade deficit in April

The balance of trade showed a deficit of 322 million euros in April, according to the statistics of Finnish Customs.

In January-April, the trade balance showed a deficit of 53 million euros. In April 2018, the trade balance had a surplus of 145 million euros but in January-April, there was a deficit of 772 million euros.

The value of Finnish exports of goods declined by three per cent year-on-year in April.

The value of Finnish exports was nearly 5.5 billion euros. Export prices rose by 5.1 per cent, but export volume declined by 5.9 per cent. In January-April, the value of exports increased by four per cent year-on-year.

The value of imports rose by six per cent in April and was slightly under 5.8 billion euros. Import volume increased by 5.1 per cent and import prices by 1.7 per cent year-on-year. In January-April, the value of imports remained at the level of the previous year.

A cruise ship delivered to Germany in April last year explains the decline in the value of total exports in April 2019. The exports of industrial machinery and equipment, passenger cars, metals, chemical products and paper pulp increased in April. The value of paper and cardboard exports fell slightly year-on-year. The value of imports of industrial supplies fell in April, but the value of imports of other major commodity groups increased.

Exports to EU member states decreased by 12 per cent but exports to non-EU countries increased by 13 per cent in April.

Exports to Germany declined while exports to other major countries increased. Imports from EU countries increased by five per cent, and imports from non-EU countries by six per cent in April.