Higher exports of fish and metals

February exports of traditional commodities were up NOK 2.1 billion compared to February last year. Exports of fish and metals alone accounted for over half of the growth in exports, at NOK 1.2 billion.

Exports of traditional goods amounted to NOK 14.9 billion in February, up 16.1 per cent from the same month last year. Of the individual fish products, the export values rose the most for frozen mackerel, salted cod and clipfish made of cod and saithe. Both prices and volume were higher for all these varieties of fish. Better prices and higher quantities of exports of aluminium alloys were the main reason for the growth in metals.

Export values for industrial machinery, telecommunications devices and paper and cardboard rose NOK 180, 140 and 130 million respectively. Several categories of chemical products also saw exports increase by NOK 75-80 million. Exports of mineral oil products grew only NOK 47 million. Two traditionally important groups, gas (propane/butane) and fertilizers, showed a decline in value of exports compared to February last year.

Growth in imports

Traditional imports of commodities in February totalled NOK 21.2 billion, up NOK 3.9 billion or 22.7 per cent from February last year. There was growth in most commodity groups. Compared to January this year, the increase in imports amounted to NOK 445 million. The import values of the groups ores, fish and vehicles in February were NOK 430, 415 and 320 billion higher than in February last year. In February, Norway imported 56,000 tonnes of fresh and chilled mackerel valued at NOK 404 million. Imports of 8,500 small and medium-sized cars valued at NOK 700 million, and an increasing number of used imported cars, accounted for the biggest contribution in the vehicle group.

New Statistics

External trade in commodities, February 1998.
Statistics are published every month in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and in the Monthly Bulletin of External Trade. Detailed figures are available from Customer Services, External Trade, tel. +47 21 09 47 52/53. For more information, contact: Øyvind Hagen, tel.+47 21 09 47 26, e-mail: oyvind.hagen@ssb.no.hagen.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 12, 1998