Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on socioeconomic indicators

FOREIGN TRADE IN GOODS

The total export of the Republic of Croatia from January to September 2022, according to provisional data, amounted to 133.1 billion kuna and it was 34.1 billion kuna, or 34.4%, higher than in the same period of 2021. The total import of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 234.0 billion kuna, which was an increase of 79.6 billion kuna, or 51.6%, compared to the same period of 2021.

Foreign trade deficit of the Republic of Croatia from January to September 2022 amounted to 100.8 billion kuna, which was 45.5 billion kuna, or 82.4%, more than in the same period of 2021.

In the period from January to September 2022, coverage of import by export was 56.9%, while in the period from January to September 2021, it amounted to 64.2%.

The most important foreign trade partners in export of the Republic of Croatia are EU Member States. Export to EU Member States from January to September 2022 accounted for 68.8% of the total export and increased by 34.4% compared to the same period of 2021.

The largest foreign trade partners from the EU from January to September 2022, observing data in kuna, were Italy – increase in export of 29.0% (share in total export of 12.5%), Slovenia – increase in export of 44.4% (share in total export of 11.4%) and Germany – increase in export of 21.3% (share in total export of 11.4%).

Export to non-EU Member States increased by 31.0% from January to September 2022 compared to the same period of 2021, and accounted for 31.2% of the total export. The largest foreign trade partners outside the EU, with which the Republic of Croatia realised trade in goods from January to September 2022, were its neighbouring countries Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. In the observed period, export to Bosnia and Herzegovina increased by 61.1% (share in total export of 10.4%), while export to Serbia increased by 64.2% (share in total export of 5.4%).

The most important foreign trade partners in import of the Republic of Croatia are EU Member States. Import from EU Member States from January to September 2022 accounted for 69.8% of total import and increased by 37.8% compared to the same period of 2021.

Import from Italy increased by 63.2% (share in total import of 13.1%), from Germany by 23.9% (share in total import of 12.2%) and from Slovenia by 48.9% (share in total import of 10.7%).

Import from non-EU Member States from January to September 2022 accounted for 30.2% of total import of the Republic of Croatia and increased by 97.4% compared to the same period of the previous year. From January to September 2022 compared to the same period of 2021, import from the USA increased significantly, by 660.7%, which accounted for 7.5% of the total import, and mostly refers to liquefied natural gas.

Foreign Trade in Goods of the Republic of Croatia with the Russian Federation and Ukraine

From January to September 2022, export to the Russian Federation amounted to 961.9 million kuna and increased by 2.4% compared to the same period of 2021 (share in total export of 0.7%). The most exported goods were medicinal and pharmaceutical products, worth 533.0 million kuna, essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations, worth 78.6 million kuna, general-purpose industrial machinery, n. e. c., worth 76.0 million kuna, and clothes, worth 66.7 million kuna, which was a decrease of 48.5%, or 62.8 million kuna, for the observed period.

Import from the Russian Federation in the same period amounted to 3.2 billion kuna and increased by 23.8% (share in total import of 1.4%). The most imported goods were petroleum and petroleum products (oils and other products of the distillation of high temperature coal tar, and lubricating oils and other oils), worth 1.6 billion kuna, hard coal, coke and briquette, worth 860.4 million kuna, and non-ferrous metals, worth 501.2 million kuna. In the period from January to September 2022, the import of gas, natural and industrial, decreased by 110.2 million kuna, or 91.5%, compared to the same period of 2021.

From January to September 2022, export to Ukraine amounted to 467.0 million kuna and increased by 58.4% compared to the same period of 2021 (share in total export of 0.4%). The most exported goods were clothes, worth 115.7 million kuna, miscellaneous manufactured articles, n. e. c., worth 88.2 million kuna, and special-purpose machinery, worth 56.5 million kuna. In the observed period, the export of medicinal and pharmaceutical products decreased the most, by 74.9%, or 99.1 million kuna.

At the same period, import from Ukraine amounted to 389.5 million kuna and increased by 92.1% (share in total import of 0.2%). The most imported goods were cereals and cereal products, worth 80.3 million kuna, products of cork and wood, worth 66.9 million kuna, and oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, worth 49.0 million kuna. In the observed period, the import of cereals and cereal products increased the most, by 78.3 million kuna.

Additional information:

FOREIGN TRADE IN GOODS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA − Provisional Data January – September 2022 and January – October 2022
Statistics in Line - FOREIGN TRADE IN GOODS