MERCHANDISE EXPORT PERFORMANCE *
April 2010
( Preliminary )

* Includes transactions that passed through Automated Export Documentation System (AEDS).
p - preliminary
r - revised

APRIL 2010 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS UP BY 27.4 PERCENT

Export earnings in April 2010 amounted to $3.573 billion, registering a double-digit growth of 27.4 percent from it's year ago level of $2.804 billion.  Compare to previous month level it went down by 14.5 percent from $4.181 billion in March 2010. Aggregate merchandise exports for the first four months of 2010 also showed an increase of 38.9 percent to $14.903 billion from $10.730 billion posted during the same period in 2009.

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INCREASED BY 29.7 PERCENT

Accounting for 61.1 percent of the total export revenue in April 2010, Electronic Products was the country's top export with total earnings of $2.183 billion. It grew by 29.7 percent from $1.684 billion in April 2009.  Components/Devices (Semiconductors) which comprised 44.9 percent of the total exports and the biggest share among the major groups of electronic products amounted to $1.604 billion or an annual growth of 29.5 percent.   Month-on-month, Electronic Products went down by 9.7 percent from $2.416 billion in March 2010.

Coconut Oil (including crude and refined) which comprised 3.0 percent share of total exports in April 2010 emerged as RP's second top gainer with revenue valued at $107.25 million. This commodity group likewise exhibited the highest increase among the top ten exports with 372.0 percent from $22.72 million in April 2009.  

Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories followed as the third top earner in April 2010 with total export earnings of $106.63 million or a share of 3.0 percent to the total export receipts.  It grew by 6.2 percent from $100.43 million in April 2009.

Ranked fourth in April 2010 and contributing 2.0 percent to the total export receipts was Woodcrafts and Furniture with revenue amounting to $70.44 million. This value was up by 37.4 percent from its year ago level of $51.28 million.

Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships (consisting only of electrical wiring harness for motor vehicles) with 1.7 percent share to the total export receipts ranked fifth with value posted at $61.67 million or 49.2 percent increase from $41.34 million registered in April 2009.

Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of April  2010 were Metal Components (excluding brakes and servo ' brakes) with export earnings of $51.88 million up by 64.1 percent; Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis with export receipts of $47.62 million dropped by 4.4 percent; Cathodes & Sections of Cathodes of Refined Copper with export revenue of $42.95 million declined  by 31.2 percent; Petroleum Products with proceeds billed at $29.83 million down by 43.4 percent; and Tuna (including fresh, frozen, prepared or preserved in airtight containers) recorded sales amounting to $28.04 million decreased by 5.2 percent.

Total receipts from the top ten exports reached $2.729 billion, or 76.4 percent of the total exports.

Fig. 1  Philippine Top Five Exports: April 2010 and 2009
(F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollars)

EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS STOOD AT $3.097 BILLION

Accounting for 86.7 percent of the total receipts, outward shipments of Manufactured Goods in April 2010 reached $3.097 billion or a 29.7 percent increase from $2.388 billion recorded in the same period a year earlier. Month-on-month, it fell by 14.1 percent from $3.606 billion recorded in March 2010.  

Income from Total Agro-Based Products comprising 5.8 percent of the total exports revenue in April 2010 went up by 34.3 percent to $208.12 million in April 2010 from $154.99 million in April 2009.  Compared to its previous month level, it was lower by 7.9 percent from $225.85 million posted in March 2010.

Earnings from Mineral Products with a share of 3.8 percent in April 2010 reached $134.09 million. It grew by 16.1 percent from $115.52 million in April 2009.  Similarly, export receipts from Special Transactions reflecting 2.8 percent share expanded by 13.4 percent to $101.23 million from $89.28 million recorded in April 2009.

Exports revenue of Petroleum Products with 0.8 percent share of the total exports decelerated by 43.4 percent from $52.66 million to $29.83 million in April 2010. Similarly, Forest Products with 0.1 percent share of the total exports contracted by 24.1 percent from $3.14 million registered in April 2009 to $2.38 million in April 2010.

Fig. 2  Philippine Exports by Commodity Group: April 2010 and 2009
(F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollars)

EXPORTS TO JAPAN ACCOUNTED FOR 17.3 PERCENT

Japan including Okinawa comprising 17.3 percent of the total exports for April 2010 emerged as the country's top destination of exports for April 2010 with revenue amounting to $616.97 million. It was higher by 42.2 percent from $433.85 million recorded a year ago.

United States of America (USA) including Alaska and Hawaii followed as the second top market of the country for April 2010 with export earnings of $573.62 million or 16.1 percent share of the total exports. The amount increased by 28.3 percent from $447.23 million reported a year earlier.

People's Republic of China representing a 9.9 percent of the total exports came in third with shipments amounting to $352.83 million. Compared to its April 2009 level, the amount expanded by 15.0 percent from $306.81 million.

Hong Kong ranked fourth in April 2010 with $349.11 million or 9.8 percent share of the total exports, advanced by 31.4 percent from it's April  2009 level of $265.76 million.

Fifth in rank and accounting for 8.6 percent share of the total exports was Singapore with export earnings worth $307.43 million or an increase of 81.2 percent from $169.68 million posted in April 2009.

Other top ten markets for April 2010 were Netherlands, $233.43 million; Germany, $222.83 million; Republic of Korea, $172.38 million; Taiwan, $131.26 million; and  Thailand, $114.41 million.

Total export receipts from RP's top ten markets for the month of April 2010 amounted to $3.074 billion or 86.1 percent of the total.

Fig. 3  Philippine Top Exports by Country: April 2010
 (F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollars)

EXPORTS FROM EASTERN ASIA WORTH $1.624 BILLION

 Philippines total exports in April 2010 to Eastern Asia (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan) accounted for 45.5 percent of the county's total exports. It amounted to $1.624 billion or an increase of 30.0 percent from it's April 2009 level of $1.250 billion.

April 2010 total exports to European Union (EU) with a 16.9 percent contribution to total exports were valued at $605.08 million.  It expanded by 12.9 percent from $536.04 million registered in April 2009.

Exports to ASEAN member-countries representing 16.4 percent share of the total exports in April 2010 worth $586.68 million, an annual positive growth of 34.5 percent from $436.36 million recorded in April 2009. 

Fig. 4  Philippine Exports by Selected Economic Bloc: April 2010 & 2009
(F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollars)

Technical Note:

Starting with the January 2007 Press Release, analysis and tables are based on the 2004 Philippine Standard Commodity Classification (PSCC) groupings (as amended in 1999).  This is in compliance with   NSCB   Resolution No. 03, Series of 2005 entitled "Approving and Adopting the 2004 Philippine Standard Commodity Classification" by all concerned government agencies and instrumentalities.

(Sgd.) CARMELITA N. ERICTA
Administrator

Source:  Foreign Trade Statistics Section
               Industry and Trade Statistics Department
               National Statistics Office
               Manila, Philippines