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Release Date :
Reference Number :
2013-056

 

MERCHANDISE EXPORT PERFORMANCE*

April 2013

(Preliminary)

* Include transactions that passed through Automated Export Documentation System (AEDS).

p - preliminary

r - revised

 

MERCHANDISE EXPORTS FOR APRIL 2013 DOWN BY 12.8 PERCENT

Export earnings in April 2013 amounted to $4.041 billion, a 12.8 percent decrement from $4.635 billion recorded in April of 2012.  Similarly, on a monthly basis, it decreased by 6.7 percent from $4.329 billion posted in March 2013. The negative growth was supported by six major commodities out of the top ten commodities for the month. These are chemicals, other manufactures, machinery and transport equipment, electronic equipment and parts, metal components and electronic products. Aggregate merchandise exports for the first four months of 2013 showed a decrease of 8.0 percent from $17.514 billion in 2012 to $16.122 billion in 2013.

 

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS DECREASES BY 0.4 PERCENT

Accounting for 40.3 percent of the total exports revenue in April 2013, Electronic Products emerged as the country’s top export with total receipts of $1.630 billion. It went down by 0.4 percent from $1.635 billion registered in April 2012.  Similarly, month-on-month, Electronic Products was down by 7.2 percent from $1.757 billion posted in March 2013. Components/Devices (Semiconductors) which comprised 33.6 percent of the total exports shared the biggest among the major groups of electronic products with export earnings worth $1.358 billion or an increase of 10.6 percent from $1.228 billion registered in April 2012.  Similarly, volume of outward shipments of electronic products and semiconductors also declined by 26.9 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively compared to same period a year ago.

Other Manufactures recorded as the country’s second top export with revenue valued at $362.42 million or 9.0 percent share to total exports. It decreased by 51.9 percent compared to $754.03 million in same period a year ago. Likewise, outward shipments of this product showed a contraction of 75.2 percent compared to its year ago recorded shipment.

Ranked third in April 2013 and contributing 6.7 percent share to the total export receipts was Woodcrafts and Furniture with earnings amounting to $270.76 million. This figure expanded by 97.3 percent from its year ago level of $137.23 million. Furthermore, volume of shipments of this commodity showed 81.2 percent increase compared to last year same month period.

Other Mineral Products, with 5.1 percent share to the total export receipts, ranked fourth with value posted at $204.51 million. It rose by 180.4 percent and registering the highest annual increase among the top ten exports from $72.93 million recorded value during the same month in 2012. Furthermore, volume of shipments of this commodity showed a 223.0 percent increase compared to last year same month period.

Machinery and Transport Equipment Chemicals with export revenue of $196.65 million, down by 34.8 percent followed as the fifth top export earner in April 2013. Moreover, volume of this product fell by 42.0 percent compared to the same period last year.

Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of April 2013 were Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories with export earnings of $152.25 million, slightly up by 0.7 percent; Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships  consists only of electrical wiring harness for motor vehicles with export receipts of $138.36 million rising by 2.9 percent; Metal Components with recorded sales amounting to $118.70 million lower by 1.7 percent; Chemicals with proceeds billed at $116.55 million falling by 57.4 percent; and Electronic equipment and parts with total receipts of $78.14 million or a share of 1.9 percent to the total exports revenue.

Total receipts from the top ten exports reached $3.268 billion, or 80.9 percent of the total exports.

 

EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS STANDS AT $3.386 BILLION

Accounting for 83.8 percent of the total export receipts in April 2013, outward shipments of Manufactured Goods was estimated at $3.386 billion, representing a decrease of 14.4 percent from $3.957 billion recorded in April 2012. Furthermore, on a monthly basis, it went down by 3.7 percent from $3.514 billion recorded in March 2013. Outward shipments in terms of gross kilos showed a negative year-on-year change of 50.3 percent compared to shipment in April 2012 and 8.3 percent increase in volume of shipment compared to last month.

Income from Total Agro-Based Products comprising 7.7 percent share of the total exports revenue in April 2013 went down by 5.1 percent to $311.27 million from $327.97 million.  Compared to its previous month level, it fell at 24.2 percent from $410.80 million in March 2013. On the other hand, volume of shipments grew by 26.7 percent compared to same month a year ago.

Earnings from Mineral Products, with a share of 6.0 percent in April 2013, reached $243.16 million. It inflated by 34.0 percent from $181.54 million in April 2012.  On the contrary, export receipts from Special Transactions reflecting 1.6 percent share, declined by 47.6 percent from $123.83 million in April 2012 to $64.92 million in April 2013. On the other hand, recorded volume of outward shipments for mineral products and special transactions registered a positive growth of 237.3 percent and 334.6 percent, respectively.

Petroleum Products accounting for 0.8 percent share of the total exports revenue contracted by 27.1 percent from $41.31 million to $30.13 million reported value a year ago. Similarly, recorded volume of this product fell by 5.2 percent compared to same month in 2012. Likewise, Forest Products with 0.1 percent share grew by 61.4 percent to $5.77 million in April 2013 from $3.58 million in April 2012. Also, outward shipments of this product in terms of gross kilos were up by 73.8 percent compared to last year’s recorded volume.

 

EXPORTS TO JAPAN ACCOUNTS FOR 23.3 PERCENT

Japan including Okinawa comprising 23.3 percent share to total exports for April 2013, emerged as the country’s top destination of exports with revenue amounting to $942.26 million. It was higher by 27.5 percent from $738.79 million recorded a year ago. Woodcrafts, furniture and fixtures, electronic products and other mineral products are the goods mostly exported to Japan.

United States of America (USA) including Alaska and Hawaii, accounting for 15.1 percent share to total exports followed as the second top market of the country for April 2013 with export earnings worth $608.11 million. This represents a decrease of 10.2 percent from $677.47 million reported a year earlier. Products exported to USA comprised mostly of electronics.

People’s Republic of China with 11.3 percent share to total exports came in third with shipments amounting to $456.58 million. Compared to same month a year ago, this value contracted by 8.3 percent from $497.70 million. The export items to China consist mainly of mineral products and semiconductors.

Singapore ranked fourth in April 2013 with $303.35 million or 7.5 percent share of the total exports which decreased by 18.7 percent from its year ago amount of $373.30 million. Goods mostly exported to Singapore were components/devices (semiconductors) and petroleum products.

Fifth in rank and representing 7.0 percent share to total exports was Republic of Korea with export earnings worth $283.57 million or a decrease of 56.9 percent from $658.43 million posted in April 2012. Other manufactures and electronic products were goods mostly exported to Korea.

Other top ten markets for April 2013 were Hong Kong, $256.47 million; Thailand, $147.18 million; Germany, $139.80 million; Taiwan, $114.50 million; and Netherlands, $110.77 million.

Total export receipts from the country’s top ten markets for the month of April 2013 amounted to $3.363 billion or 83.2 percent of the total.

 

EXPORTS TO EAST ASIA WORTH $2.058 BILLION

The merchandise exports of the Philippines to East Asia in April 2013 accounted for 51.0 percent share to total exports, amounting to $2.058 billion or a decrease of 16.4 percent from its April 2012 figure of $2.461 billion.

Exports to ASEAN member-countries, accounting for 16.1 percent share to total merchandise exports in April 2013 reached $652.37 million, a 16.4 percent decline from $780.72 million recorded in April 2012.

Merchandise exports to European Union (EU), on the other hand, sharing 11.6 percent to total merchandise exports in April 2013, was valued at $468.55 million. It expanded by 5.0 percent from $446.25 million posted in April 2012.

Notes:

1/ - includes China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, N, Korea, S. Korea, Taiwan

2/ - includes Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

3/ - includes Alaska and Hawaii

4/ - includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,

      Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,

      Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and UK Great Britain

 

 

Technical Note:

Starting with the February 2007 Press Release, analysis and tables are based on the 2004 Philippine Standard Commodity Classification (PSCC) groupings. 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.

 

CARMELITA N. ERICTA
Administrator

 

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

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