Exports up by over 5 percent in January

These are the most recent figures on this topic. View the previous figures here.
© Hollandse Hoogte / Frank Muller / Zorginbeeld
In January 2025, the total volume of goods exported (adjusted for the number of working days) was up by 5.1 percent year on year, as reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Export volumes were higher for machinery, chemical and pharmaceutical products, food, beverages and tobacco and electrical equipment. Meanwhile, the volume of goods imported was up by 3.6 percent relative to January 2024. This was mainly because more chemical and pharmaceutical products, electrical and transport equipment were imported.

The CBS Exports Radar for March indicates that conditions for exports have become less unfavourable than they were in January’s radar.

Year Month%-change (year-on-year %-change)
2021February2.5
2021March11
2021April23.8
2021May20.5
2021June12.9
2021July9.2
2021August8.2
2021September5.2
2021October0
2021November7.1
2021December6.9
2022January-0.5
2022February-0.7
2022March-1.9
2022April-0.7
2022May1.7
2022June4.7
2022July0
2022August-1
2022September2.7
2022October8.6
2022November4.6
2022December4.5
2023January4.7
2023February4.5
2023March4.6
2023April0.9
2023May0.3
2023June-0.5
2023July-3.2
2023August-1
2023September-3.9
2023October-6.4
2023November-5.7
2023December-1.6
2024January-5.9
2024February-6.2
2024March-5
2024April-0.1
2024May-3.7
2024June-0.4
2024July2.5
2024August-0.2
2024September3
2024October2.5
2024November4.2
2024December-1.1
2025January5.1

Conditions for exports less unfavourable in March

Every month, CBS also publishes an update on the conditions for exports in its Exports Radar. These are largely determined by developments in key sales markets for domestic exports and by the competitive position of the Netherlands. Although the Radar indicators are closely correlated with export activity, improved conditions do not necessarily mean higher export growth.

According to the CBS Exports Radar for March, conditions for exports are less unfavourable than they were in January. This is mainly because the year-on-year change in real exchange rates was more favourable and manufacturers in Germany and the euro area were less negative.

Goods exports account for approximately three-quarters of total exports. Figures on exports of services are not published monthly. Figures on total exports are published quarterly and annually. The figures in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.