The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has released trade statistics for April 2018, recording a trade balance surplus of R1,14-billion.
The year-to-date (01 January to 30 April 2018) trade balance deficit of R17,65-billion is a deterioration on the surplus for the comparable period in 2017 of R8,52-billion.
Exports year-to-date decreased by 0,3% while imports for the same period showed an increase of 7,2%, including trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS).
The R1,14-billion trade balance surplus for April 2018 is attributable to exports of R88,5-billion and imports of R87,36-billion.
Exports decreased from March 2018 to April 2018 by R9,6-billion (9,8%) and imports decreased from March 2018 to April 2018 by R1,44-billion (1,6%).
Exports for the year-to-date (1 January to 30 April) decreased by 0,3% from R358,13-billion in 2017 to R357,08-billion in 2018.
Imports for the year-to-date of R374,73-billion are 7,2% more than the imports recorded in January to April 2017 of R349,61-billion, leaving a cumulative trade balance deficit of R17,65-billion for 2018.
On a year-on-year basis, the R1,14-billion trade balance surplus for April 2018 is a deterioration from the surplus recorded in April 2017 of R4,26-billion.
Exports of R88,5-billion are 2% less than the exports recorded in April 2017 of R90,33-billion. Imports of R87,36-billion are 1,5% more than the imports recorded in April 2017 of R86,07-billion.
March 2018’s trade balance surplus was revised downwards by R0,17-billion from the previous month’s preliminary surplus of R9,47-billion to a revised surplus of R9,3-billion as a result of ongoing Vouchers of Correction (VOCs).
The statistics include trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS).