Trade deficit up on Bonaire, down on Saba and Statia

© ANP
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that Bonaire’s trade deficit has risen for the second consecutive year in 2016, whereas the trade deficits on St Eustatius and Saba declined relative to 2015.
Since the first measurements were carried out in 2011, imports on Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba have exceeded exports. Production is relatively low on the islands in comparison to the European part of the Netherlands. Caribbean Netherlands has a structural trade deficit, i.e. imports exceed exports.

Higher imports and lower exports on Bonaire

Bonaire’s trade deficit amounted to 192 million dollars last year, 4 percent up from 2015. Imports of goods rose by 3.5 percent to just over 200 million dollars compared to the previous year. With nearly 9 million dollars, the value of goods exports from Bonaire was more than 8 percent lower than in 2015.

Lower imports and higher exports on Saba and St Eustatius

Trade deficits on St Eustatius and Saba were 35 and 16 million dollars respectively. The value of goods imported on St Eustatius declined by nearly 11 percent and on Saba by more than 27 percent. The export value of goods of both islands increased in 2016, resulting in smaller trade deficits than in 2015.
Trade deficits Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, 2014-2016
 201420152016*
Bonaire149.9184.4191.9
St Eustatius3439.734.9
Saba1921.915.8

Imports manufactured good rise most rapidly on Bonaire

Bonaire imported manufactured goods worth 5.5 million dollars last year, one-fifth more than in 2015 and the most substantial increase of all goods categories. The import values of manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment increased by 3 million dollars each. Imports of these goods fell to a low in 2014, but have risen since then.
Bonaire; top 4 import values of product sections with largest share in 2016
 Food and live stockManufactured goodsMachinery and transport equipmentVarious manufactured goods
201228.826.540.926.8
201329.624.840.524.7
201432.423.638.925.7
201533.832.147.326.4
2016*35.135.450.332

The value of mineral fuels imported by Bonaire was reduced almost by half in 2016 relative to the preceding year. In 2015 the import value of mineral fuels had more than doubled.

Sources