Provisional data of the Central Statistical Bureau show that in December 2019 the foreign trade turnover of Latvia amounted to EUR 2.4 billion, which at current prices was 8.2 % larger than a year ago, of which the exports value of goods was 3.9 % higher, but imports value of goods – 11.6 % higher. In December, Latvia exported goods in the amount of EUR 1.01 billion, but imported in the amount of EUR 1.38 billion. Compared to December 2018, foreign trade balance has worsened as exports in total foreign trade amount decreased from 44 % to 42.3 %.

In 2019, the foreign trade turnover of Latvia at current prices reached EUR 28.52 billion – EUR 14.7 million or 0.1 % less than in 2018. The exports value constituted EUR 12.8 billion (an increase of EUR 52 million or 0.4 %), whereas the imports value – EUR 15.73 billion (a drop of EUR 66.7 million or 0.4 %).

Calendar and seasonally adjusted data show that, compared to December 2018, in December 2019 the exports value at current prices went up by 2.7 % and the imports value by 7.4 %, whereas, compared to the previous month, the exports value went up by 4.1 % and the imports value – by 11.6 %.

Main changes in exports in December 2019, compared to December 2018:

Main changes in imports in December 2019, compared to December 2018:

imports of vehicles and associated transport equipment up by EUR 124.1 million or 70.7 %,
imports of machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equipment up by EUR 15.2 million or 5.6 %,
imports of prepared foodstuffs up by EUR 10.9 million or 10.5 %,
imports of basic metals and articles of basic metals down by EUR 21.9 million or 21.6 %,
imports of mineral products down by EUR 10.6 million or 10.7 %.

In December, the main export partners of Latvia in trade with EU countries were Lithuania (16.4 % of total exports), Estonia (11.4 %), Germany (6.1 %) and Sweden (5.6 %), whereas the main import partners were Lithuania (16.2 % of total imports), Germany (10.9 %), Poland (8 %) and Estonia (7.1 %).

In exports Russia was the main partner in trade with third countries; its share in total Latvian exports in December accounted for 10.1 %, whereas Canada was the main partner in imports – 12.6 % of total imports.

In December 2019, compared to December 2018, share of the European Union countries in total exports value fell by 3.7 percentage points and in imports value – by 1.2 percentage points. Rise in share of CIS countries comprised 0.7 percentage points in exports and drop of 3.7 percentage points in imports.

Foreign trade of Latvia by country group in December 2019
(at current prices)

	Exports			Imports
	million EUR	% of total	changes as %, compared to December 2018	million EUR	% of total	changes as %, compared to December 2018
Total	1 013.0	100	3.9	1 383.4	100	11.6
European Union countries	682.5	67.4	-1.5	993.1	71.8	9.7
euro area countries	476.9	47.1	3.1	737.9	53.3	10.2
CIS countries	155.8	15.4	8.7	109.2	7.9	-23.8
other countries	174.7	17.2	26.0	281.1	20.3	46.5

In December 2019 foreign trade balance of Latvia was positive with 122 partner countries, as exports value of goods exceeded imports value of goods. It was negative in trade with 46 countries.

Balance of foreign trade of Latvia
(difference between value of goods exports and imports, million euros)

Balance of foreign trade of Latvia

The rise in the exports of cereals in December 2019, as compared to December 2018, was facilitated by an increase in the exports of wheat and meslin by EUR 28.3 million or 2.4 times. In turn, reduction in exports of mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation was mostly influenced by decrease of exports of electricity by EUR 7.9 million or 45.5 %.

Main commodities in exports of Latvia in December 2019
(at current prices)

	thousand EUR	as % of total	Changes as %, compared to
	thousand EUR	as % of total	December 2018	November 2019	average of previous 12 months
Total	1 012 971	100	3.9	-10.8	-4.7
wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal	151 872	15.0	-11.3	-10.9	-17.9
electrical machinery and equipment	108 070	10.7	-2.9	-15.0	-3.9
machinery and mechanical appliances	72 203	7.1	22.7	9.0	16.5
beverages, spirits and vinegar	62 370	6.2	14.8	-23.5	14.2
cereals	60 118	5.9	96.6	68.4	47.6
vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof	42 706	4.2	-12.0	-20.3	-26.9
mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation	41 703	4.1	-19.6	-6.1	-15.9
pharmaceutical products	35 920	3.5	-17.5	-9.1	-11.7
furniture, other furnishing articles; prefabricated buildings	32 240	3.2	35.6	-15.3	2.2
articles of iron or steel	26 136	2.6	-5.5	-32.1	-29.5

Rise of imports in commodity group “aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof” in December 2019, compared to December 2018, was affected by purchase of aircrafts – increase of EUR 113.4 million. In turn, decline in imports of iron and steel by EUR 15.1 million or by 45.8 % significantly influenced drop in imports of flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel.

Main commodities in imports of Latvia in December 2019
(at current prices)

	thousand EUR	as % of total	Changes as %, compared to
	thousand EUR	as % of total	December 2018	November 2019	average of previous 12 months
Total	1 383 389	100	11.6	10.7	6.5
aircraft, spacecraft and parts thereof	189 806	13.7	2.8 times	15.2 times	4.5 times
electrical machinery and equipment	149 729	10.8	19.4	-8.6	9.8
machinery and mechanical appliances	135 698	9.8	-8.7	17.6	7.5
vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof	107 171	7.7	1.5	10.2	-1.6
mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation	85 300	6.2	-9.8	-8.0	-27.2
pharmaceutical products	49 700	3.6	3.5	-2.8	-6.7
beverages, spirits and vinegar	45 066	3.3	4.6	-8.6	-7.7
plastics and articles thereof	43 617	3.2	6.4	-8.7	-17.7
wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal	43 129	3.1	3.3	-10.4	-9.6
iron and steel	33 435	2.4	-37.0	-16.1	-28.4

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366989, +371 27880666

More information on data:
Foreign Trade Statistics Section
Lilita Laganovska
E-mail: Lilita.Laganovska@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366604

Foreign trade in goods

KEY INDICATORS

Foreign trade of Latvia

PUBLICATIONS

Foreign Trade of Latvia: Main Commodities and Trade Partners, 2022/01, in Latvian

Foreign Trade of Latvia: Main Commodities and Trade Partners, 2021/04, in Latvian

Press releases

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