Exports of goods in January 2021, were 64.6% of imports compared to 68.5% (excluding ships, aircraft and diamonds) in the same month last year. The trade deficit in the first month of the year amounted to NIS 6 billion, compared with a deficit of NIS 5.7 billion in January 2020. Exports of goods in January 2021 amounted to NIS 15 billion. 84% of this amount was industrial exports, mining and quarrying, 14% diamond exports and 2% agricultural exports, forestry and fishing.
In January 2021, imports of goods amounted to NIS 21 billion. Of these, 42% import raw materials, 26% import consumer goods, 17% import machinery, equipment and land vehicles for investment and the remaining 15% import diamonds, energy materials, ships and aircraft. Net diamond exports amounted to NIS 2 billion in January 2021, compared with NIS 1.7 billion in the corresponding month in 2020. Agricultural exports, forestry and fishing amounted to NIS 0.3 billion in January 2021, compared with NIS 0.5 billion in the corresponding month in 2020. During the same period, citrus exports fell by 31.5%.
Diamond imports amounted to NIS 0.9 billion in January 2021, similar to the corresponding month of 2020. Imports of energy materials (crude fuel, distillates and coal) amounted to NIS 2.2 billion in the first month of the year, low
By 40.1% compared to the same month last year.
Imports of raw materials (excluding diamonds and energy materials) increased according to the trend data, by 10.7% in November 2020 – January 2021, following a 5% increase in August-October 2020. Details by groups show that imports of wood and its products increased by 25.2% on an annual basis And imports of raw food products increased by 20% on an annual basis.
The trend data indicate an increase in imports of investment products of 39.9% on an annual basis in November 2020 – January 2021. This, following a 75.5% increase in annual calculation in August-October 2020. Imports of machinery and equipment increased by 21.2%. In contrast, imports of vehicles for investment decreased by 19.6% on an annualized basis.
In November 2020 – January 2021, imports of consumer goods, according to trend data, increased by 23.5% on an annual basis, following a 47.6% increase on an annual basis in August-October 2020. Imports of durable goods increased in November 2020 – January 2021 by 35.8% In an annual calculation. Most of the increase was in imports of furniture and household appliances, which rose by 32.2%. Imports of products for current consumption increased in November 2020 – January 2021 by 9.3%, most of the increase was in household imports.