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The South African Revenue Service (SARS) today releases trade statistics for October 2014 that recorded a trade deficit of R21.33 billion. The trade statistics include trade data with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS).     
          
Summary                             
The R21.33 billion deficit for October 2014 is due to exports of R89.00 billion and imports of R110.32 billion. Exports decreased from September to October by R1.63 billion (-1.8%) and imports increased from September to October by R16.65 billion (17.8%).

The cumulative deficit for 2014 is R95.11 billion compared to R73.08 billion in 2013.

Trade highlights by category

The month-on-month export movements:

R’ million 
Section: Including BLNS:
Precious Metals & Stones -  R 2 120 - 13.6%
Vegetable Products -  R 1 694 - 38.0%
Base Metals -  R 469 - 4.4%
Prepared foodstuffs + R 844 + 22.9%
Machinery & Electronics + R 828 + 9.2%

The month-on-month import movements:

R’ million 
Section: Including BLNS:
Mineral Products + R 7 160 + 33.5%
Machinery and Electronics + R 3 112 + 14.9%
Vehicles and Transport Equipment + R 1 831 + 24.0%
Equipment Components + R 1 546 + 25.6%
Vegetable Products -  R 1 442 - 48.0%


Trade highlights by world zone                 
                      
The world zone results for October 2014 are given below.             

Africa:           
Exports: R 29 426 million – this is an increase of R 1 279 million from September 2014
Imports: R 18 697million – this is an increase of R 7 142 million from September 2014
Trade surplus: R 10 729 million.
This is a 35.3% decrease in comparison to the R16 593 million surplus recorded in September 2014.

America:       
Exports: R 9 178 million – this is an increase of R 938 million from September 2014
Imports: R 12 356 million – this is an increase of R 3 305 million from September 2014
Trade deficit: -R 3 177 million
This is a 292.0% increase in comparison to the -R 811 million deficit recorded in September 2014.

Asia:  
Exports: R 26 099 million – this is an increase of R 167 million from September 2014
Imports:  R 44 769 million – this is an increase of R 685 million from September 2014
Trade deficit: -R 18 670 million
This is a 2.9% increase in comparison to the -R 18 152 million deficit recorded in September 2014.

Europe:         

Exports:  R 17 723 million ­– this is a decrease of R -4 805 million from September 2014
Imports: R 32 984 million– this is an increase of R 5 257 million from September 2014
Trade deficit: -R 15 260 million
This is a 193.5% increase in comparison to the -R 5 199 million deficit recorded in September 2014.

Oceania:  
Exports:  R 1 336 million ­ – this is an increase of R 338 million from September 2014
Imports:   R 1 452 million – this is an increase of R 284 million from September 2014
Trade deficit: -R 116 million
This is a 31.9% decrease in comparison to the –R 171 million deficit recorded in September 2014


Excluding BLNS

The trade data excluding BLNS for October 2014 recorded a trade deficit of R 31.27 billion.
                      
Summary                             
The R31.27 billion deficit for October 2014 is as a result of exports of R76.17 billion and imports of R107.44 billion. Exports decreased from September to October by R 2.29 billion (2.9%) and imports increased from September to October by R 16.23 billion (17.8%).

The cumulative deficit for 2014 is R 180.70 billion compared to R143.25 billion in 2013.

Trade highlights by category

The month-on-month export movements:

R’ million 
Section: Excluding BLNS:
Vegetables Products - R 1 814     - 45.6%
Precious Metals & Stones - R 1 787 - 12.1%
Base Metals - R 567 - 5.7%
Mineral Products + R 670 + 3.8%
Prepared foodstuffs + R 675 + 25.1%


The month-on-month import movements:

R’ million 
Section: Excluding BLNS:
Mineral Products + R 7 170 + 33.7%
Machinery & Electronics + R 3 057 + 14.8%
Vehicle & Transport Equipment + R 1 824 + 23.9%
Equipment Components + R 1 546 + 25.6%
Vegetable Products - R 1 461 - 49.2%

Trade highlights by world zone                 
The world zone results from September 2014 to October 2014 are given below.             

Africa:           
Exports: R 16 603 million – this is an increase of R 618 million from September 2014
Imports: R 15 813 million – this is a increase of R 6 726 million from September 2014
Trade surplus: R 790 million
This is an 88.6% decrease in comparison to the R 6 897 million surplus recorded in September 2014.

SA Trade Release Table (including BLNS)

SA Trade Release Table (excluding BLNS)


BLNS (Only)
Trade Statistics with BLNS countries
Trade statistics with the BLNS for October 2014 recorded a trade surplus of R 9.94 billion.
                 
Summary
The R 9.94 billion surplus for October 2014 is as a result of exports of R 12.82 billion and imports of R 2.88 billion.

Exports increased from September to October by R 0.66 billion (5.4%) and imports increased from September to October by R 0.42 billion (16.9%).     

The cumulative surplus for 2014 is R 85.58 billion compared to R 70.17 billion in 2013.
Trade Highlights by Category
The month-on-month export movements:

R’ million 
Section: BLNS:
Machinery & Electronics + R 273 +16.7%
Vehicles & Transport Equipment + R 253 +17.0%
Prepared foodstuff + R 168 +17.0%
Precious Metals & Stones - R 332 -40.5%
Mineral Products - R 349 -16.2%
                       
The month-on-month import movements:

R’ million 
Section: BLNS:
Chemical Products + R 173 +34.1%
Prepared foodstuff + R 78 +19.0%
Machinery & Electronics + R 55 +25.2%
Textiles + R 45 +13.6%
Base Metals + R 32 +24.6%