State of Israel
Media Release
[email protected]
www.cbs.gov.il
Fax: 02-6521340
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Previous Media Release on Foreign Trade appeared on April 27, 2017
Jerusalem,
May 14, 2017
128/2017
Israel's Foreign Trade, Export & Import of Goods: April 2017
The trade deficit of goods totaled NIS 5.7 billion
Trend data on February – April 2017 compared to November 2016 – January 2017
(at annual rate)

Imports of raw materials and of consumer goods increased.

Imports of investment goods decreased by 11.1%.

Exports of goods decreased by 7.7%.
Tables
In April 2017, imports of goods totaled NIS 18.3 billion, exports of goods totaled NIS 12.6 billion and the
trade deficit of goods totaled NIS 5.7 billion1.
Diagram 1 - Import, export and trade deficit in goods (original data)
30,000
26,000
NIS Million
22,000
18,000
14,000
10,000
6,000
2,000
-2,000
I
VI
XII I
2013
VI
XII I
2014
VI
XII I
2015
Imports
Exports
VI
XII I
2016
2017
Trade deficit
1
The above is based on temporary data regarding goods that cleared Customs, not including trade between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Final data for 2016 will be published in April 2017. In addition, the data do not include import and export of services that include, among others,
software. Data on all exports and imports of goods and services are published as part of the Balance of Payments, every quarter.
Written by Shirly Kerma- Foreign Trade Sector
For explanations and clarifications regarding the contents of this Media Release,
Please contact the Press Relations Unit, at 02-652 7845
January - April 2017
Exports of goods, as percent of imports (excluding ships, aircraft and diamonds), constituted 77.0%,
compared with 81.2% in the same months in 20162.
The trade deficit (goods only) in January-April 2017 totaled NIS 13.5 billion, compared with NIS 11.6
billion in January-April 2016.
Imports of goods (excluding ship, aircraft, diamonds and fuels) increased by 2.2% at an annual rate in
January - April 2017, according to trend data, following a decrease of 3.0% in November 2016 - January
2017.
Exports of goods (excluding ships, aircraft and diamonds) decreased by 7.7% at an annual rate in
January - April 2017, according to trend data, following an increase of 4.7% in November 2016 - January
2017.
Trade in goods in April 2017 was influenced by changes in the value of the NIS relative to other currencies
in which import and export transactions were conducted3.In April 2017 the NIS weakened relative to most
of the currencies; by 2.6% relative to the Sterling, 0.5% relative to the Euro, 2.4% relative to the Japanese
Yen and 0.3% relative to the Swiss Franc. In contrast, compared to the US Dollar, the NIS remained stable.
Imports of Goods
Imports of goods in April 2017 totaled, as mentioned above, NIS 18.3 billion. 43% of total imports were
imports of raw materials (excluding diamonds and fuels); 19% were imports of consumer goods; 17% were
imports of machinery, equipment and land vehicles for investment; and 21% were imports of diamonds,
fuels, ships and aircraft.
Diagram 2 - Import of goods (excl.ships aircraft, diamonds and fuels)
19500
NIS Million
18500
17500
16500
15500
14500
13500
I
VI
XII I
2013
VI
XII I
2014
VI
XII I
VI
2015
Seasonally adjusted data
2016
XII I
2017
Trend data
* The last 3 points are subject to substantial revisions
Trend data of imports of raw materials (excluding diamonds and fuels) increased by 10.0%, at an annual
rate in February - April 2017, following a decrease of 3.4% in November 2016 - January 2017.
A breakdown by groups shows that imports of non-ferrous metals increased by 42.2% at an annual rate
(3.0% monthly average), imports of wood and its products increased by 9.3% at an annual rate and
imports of fabrics and yarn increased by 8.1% at an annual rate.
2 Ratio of value between exports value and the imports value (excluding ships, aircraft and diamonds)
2 Source: Bank of Israel
Israel's Foreign Trade in Goods- April 2017
2
Date of publication 14/05/2017
Trend data of imports of investment goods (excluding ships and aircraft) decreased by 11.1%, at an
annual rate, in February - April 2017, following a decrease of 4.0% in November 2016 - January 2017. A
breakdown by groups shows that imports of machinery and equipment (68% of investment imports)
decreased by 31.6% at an annual rate (-3.1% monthly average). In contrast, imports of vehicles for
investment increased by 20.4% at annual rate.
Imports of consumer goods (based on trend data) increased by 2.5%, at an annual rate in February April 2017, following a decrease of 0.6% in November 2016 - January 2017. Imports of non-durable
goods (medicines, food and beverages, and clothing and footwear) increased by 5.1% at an annual rate in
February - April 2017. Imports of durable goods (furniture, electrical equipment and transport equipment)
decreased by 3.9%, at an annual rate in February - April 2017. Most of this decrease was in imports of
furniture and electrical equipment which decreased by 14.8% at an annual rate.
Imports of diamonds (net, rough and polished) in January-April 2017 totaled NIS 7.2 billion, compared
with NIS 8.1 billion in the same period of 2016.
Imports of fuels (crude oil, distillates and coal) in January-April 2017 totaled NIS 9.1 billion, a 43.8%
increase compared with the same months of the previous year.
Exports of Goods
Exports of goods totaled, as mentioned, NIS 12.6 billion in April 2017. Manufacturing, mining and
quarrying exports (excluding diamonds) constituted 89% of all exports of goods. Exports of diamonds
constituted 8%, and the remaining 3% were agriculture, forestry and fishing exports.
Diagram 3 - Export of goods (excl.diamonds)
* The last 3 points are subject to substantial revisions
17000
NIS Millions
16000
15000
14000
13000
12000
I
VI
XII I
2013
VI
XII I
2014
VI
XII I
VI
2015
Seasonally adjusted data
2016
XII I
2017
Trend data
* The last 3 points are subject to substantial revisions
Trend data of manufacturing, mining and quarrying exports (excluding diamonds) decreased by 7.9%,
at an annual rate, in February - April 2017, following an increase of 5.9% in November 2016 - January
2017.
Trend data of manufacture exports, by technological intensity
Trend data of exports by high technology industries (46% of total manufacture exports) decreased by
17.4%, at an annual rate, in February - April 2017, following a decrease of 8.8% in November 2016 January 2017. Breakdown by economic activity shows that exports of manufacture of electronic
components and boards decreased by 20.3% at an annual rate.
Israel's Foreign Trade in Goods- April 2017
3
Date of publication 14/05/2017
Trend data of exports by medium-high technology industries (33% of total manufacture exports)
increased by 23.6%, at an annual rate in February - April 2017 (1.8% monthly average), continuing an
increase of 39.0% in November 2016 - January 2017 (2.8% monthly average). Breakdown by economic
activity shows that exports of manufacture of chemical and chemical products increased by 56.4%, at
an annual rate (3.8% monthly average).
Diagram 4 - Manufacturing Exports by Technological Intensity
High Technology Industries
Medium -high Technology Industries
5800
8500
5500
8000
5200
7500
NIS Milion
NIS Milion
9000
7000
6500
4900
4600
4300
6000
4000
5500
3700
5000
I
VI
XIII
2013
VI
XIII
2014
VI
XIII
2015
VI
2016
I
XIII
VI
Medium -low Technology Industries
VI
XIII
2014
VI
XIII
2015
VI
2016
XIII
2017
Low Technology Industries
2700
1150
2500
1100
1050
NIS Milion
2300
NIS Milion
XIII
2013
2017
2100
1900
1000
950
900
1700
850
1500
800
I
VI
2013
XIII
VI
2014
XIII
VI
2015
XIII
VI
2016
XIII
I
2017
VI
2013
XIII
VI
XIII
2014
VI
2015
XIII
VI
2016
XIII
2017
Trend data of exports by medium-low technology industries (14% of total manufacture exports)
decreased by 19.8% at an annual rate in the last three months, following a decrease of 5.0% in
November 2016 - January 2017. Breakdown by economic activity shows that exports of manufacture of
fabricated metal products decreased by 5.5% at an annual rate.
Trend data of exports by low technology industries (7% of total manufacture exports) decreased by
7.7% an annual rate, in January - April 2017, following a decrease of 0.5% in November 2016 - January
2017. Breakdown by economic activity shows that exports of manufacture of wood, cork and straw
products point decreased by 14.9% at an annual rate.
Exports of diamonds (net, polished and rough), in January-April 2017, totaled NIS 10.2 billion compared
with NIS 10.7 billion in the same period of 2016.
Agricultural, forestry and fishing exports in January-April 2017 totaled NIS 2.0 billion (original data) a
decrease of 3.6% compared with the same period in 2016. Export of fishing and raising of animals
production decreased by 14.9% in the same period.
Next Media Release on Israel's Foreign Trade in Goods will appear on June 13, 2017.
Related links and publications
Israel's Foreign Trade in Goods- April 2017
Definitions and explanations
4
Date of publication 14/05/2017