South Africa Balance of Trade  1957-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar

South Africa posted a trade surplus of ZAR 5.1 billion in April of 2017 compared to a downwardly revised ZAR 11.3 billion surplus in March and slightly below market expectations of ZAR 5.5 billion. Exports fell 9.2 percent to ZAR 91.8 billion, due to lower sales of precious metals and stones, vehicles & transport equipment, machinery & electronics and chemicals. Imports went down 3.4 percent to ZAR 86.7 billion, driven by purchases of optical photographic products, original equipment components, vegetables, and chemicals. Balance of Trade in South Africa averaged -10.84 ZAR Million from 1957 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 18730.94 ZAR Million in May of 2016 and a record low of -23426.17 ZAR Million in January of 2015.

South Africa Balance of Trade
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Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus Forecast (i)
2017-03-31 12:00 PM Feb ZAR 5.22B ZAR -11.22B ZAR 1B
2017-04-28 12:00 PM Mar ZAR11.4B ZAR4.78B ZAR -4B
2017-05-31 12:00 PM Apr ZAR5.1B ZAR11.3B ZAR5.5B ZAR 5B
2017-06-30 12:00 PM May ZAR5.1B ZAR2.5B
2017-07-31 12:00 PM Jun
2017-08-31 12:00 PM Jul




South Africa Trade Surplus Narrows In April


South Africa posted a trade surplus of ZAR 5.1 billion in April of 2017 compared to a downwardly revised ZAR 11.3 billion surplus in March and slightly below market expectations of ZAR 5.5 billion. Exports fell 9.2 percent to ZAR 91.8 billion, due to lower sales of precious metals and stones, vehicles & transport equipment, machinery & electronics and chemicals. Imports went down 3.4 percent to ZAR 86.7 billion, driven by purchases of optical photographic products, original equipment components, vegetables, and chemicals.

Exports fell to ZAR 91.8 billion, mainly driven by lower sales of vehicles & transport equipment (-18 percent), machinery & electronics (-18 percent), precious metals and stones (-8 percent), chemicals (-9 percent). In contrast, sales of mineral products went up 10 percent. Major destinations for exports were China (9.4 percent of total exports), Germany (7.7 percent), the US (6.9 percent), India (5 percent) and Japan (4.5 percent).

Imports decreased to 86.7 billion, as purchases went down for: optical photographic products (-26 percent); original equipment components (17 percent); vegetables (-22 percent) and chemicals (-4 percent). In contrast, imports of vehicles & transport equipment rose 4 percent. Imports came mainly from China (17.3 percent of total imports), Germany (10.5 percent), the US (6.3 percent), Saudi Arabia (5.9 percent) and  India (5 percent).

Excluding trade with neighboring Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland, the country posted a trade deficit of ZAR 1.19 billion in April. 

South African Revenue Service | Yekaterina Guchshina | yekaterina@tradingeconomics.com
5/31/2017 12:23:03 PM


Recent Releases

South Africa Trade Surplus Widens In March
South Africa posted a trade surplus of ZAR 11.4 billion in March of 2017 compared to a downwardly revised ZAR 4.78 billion surplus in February. Exports advanced 16 percent, due to higher sales of precious metals and stones, vehicles & transport equipment, machinery & electronics and mineral products. Imports went up 8.9 percent, driven by purchases of machinery & electronics, vehicles & transport equipment, optical photographic products, and original equipment components.
Published on 2017-04-28

South Africa Trade Balance Swings To Surplus in February
South Africa posted a trade surplus of ZAR 5.22 billion in February of 2017 compared to an upwardly revised ZAR 11.22 billion gap in January. Exports advanced 9.4 percent, due to higher sales of vehicles & transport equipment and machinery & electronics while imports went down 9.7 percent, mainly due to lower purchases of machinery & electronics.
Published on 2017-03-31

South Africa Trade Balance Swings To Deficit in January
South Africa posted a trade deficit of ZAR 10.81 billion in January of 2017 compared to an upwardly revised ZAR 12.41 billion surplus in December and below market forecasts of a ZAR 16 billion deficit. Imports jumped 12.5 percent, mainly due to higher purchases of equipment components and machinery & electronics. Exports went down at a faster 14 percent, due to lower sales of vehicles & transport equipment and mineral products.
Published on 2017-02-28

South Africa Trade Surplus Beats Expectations in December
South Africa posted a trade surplus of ZAR 12.04 billion in December of 2016 compared to an upwardly revised ZAR 1.68 billion deficit in November and well above market forecasts of a ZAR 6 billion surplus. Imports slumped 19.6 percent, mainly due to lower purchases of original equipment components and machinery & electronics. Exports went down at a slower 6.1 percent, due to sales of vehicles & transport equipment and machinery & electronics.
Published on 2017-01-31



South Africa Trade Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Balance of Trade 5083.17 11283.50 18730.94 -23426.17 ZAR Million [+]
Exports 91777.60 101064.00 105163.26 55.80 ZAR Million [+]
Imports 86694.40 89780.60 110258.82 66.10 ZAR Million [+]
Current Account -91499.00 -76438.00 15627.00 -241786.00 ZAR Million [+]
Current Account to GDP -3.30 -4.40 6.00 -7.50 percent [+]
External Debt 142833.00 141530.00 145082.00 33262.00 USD Million [+]
Tourist Arrivals 1258642.00 1180301.00 1558854.00 37430.00 [+]
Gold Reserves 125.25 125.25 183.51 123.48 Tonnes [+]
Terrorism Index 3.53 4.23 4.23 0.22 [+]
Weapons Sales 59.00 61.00 235.00 1.00 USD Million [+]
Crude Oil Production 2.00 2.00 58.00 2.00 BBL/D/1K [+]
Foreign Direct Investment 1873.00 1958.00 2089.00 1.00 ZAR Billion [+]

Exports by Country  |   Exports by Category  |   Imports by Country  |   Imports by Category



South Africa Balance of Trade Notes

In 2015, South Africa recorded the biggest trade deficits with China, Germany, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, France, Italy and India and the biggest trade surpluses with Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Belgium and Japan. . This page provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. South Africa Balance of Trade - actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2017.

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
5083.17 11283.50 18730.94 -23426.17 1957 - 2017 ZAR Million Monthly



balance of trade by Country

Last
Australia 555.00 Apr/17
Brazil 7661.00 May/17
Canada -370.30 Apr/17
China 408.10 May/17
Euro Area 17858.90 Apr/17
France -5535.00 Apr/17
Germany 18078.00 Apr/17
India -13841.70 May/17
Indonesia 474.00 May/17
Italy 3601.32 Apr/17
Japan -203.37 May/17
Mexico 616.79 Apr/17
Netherlands 3833.00 Apr/17
Russia 8001.00 Apr/17
South Korea 5990.00 May/17
Spain -1198829.00 Apr/17
Switzerland 3400.03 May/17
Turkey -4945.41 Apr/17
United Kingdom -2050.00 Apr/17
United States -47617.00 Apr/17