Agriculture export: slower growth
The value of Dutch exports was just over 30 billion euro higher than the value of imports in 2002, pushing up the balance of trade for the third year in a row. While the total balance of trade has risen by 20 billion euro since 1999, the balance of trade for agricultural products has grown by just over 2 billion euro.
Export value of goods and of agricultural products
Export value of goods and agricultural products
The export value of agricultural products has increased yearly since 1996. In the period 1996-2002 it grew by nearly 4 percent a year. However, this growth rate was lower than that of the value of total goods exports. On average the total export value rose by nearly 8 percent yearly (1996–2002).
Balance of trade: total and agricultural products
Share of agriculture in balance of trade declining
Although the share of agricultural products in the total balance of trade has diminished, exports in this category are still a main determinant for the size of the balance of trade.
Balance of trade for goods and agricultural products
The balance of trade for agricultural products has risen slightly since 1996, pushed up by the increase in exports of horticultural products in particular. Between 1996 and 2002 exports of horticultural products grew by nearly 2 billion euro.
Wiel Packbier and Cor Pierik