Exports of goods down by 2% in August

News
Posted on 10 October 2025, 8:00

According to Statistics Estonia, in August 2025, exports of goods decreased by 2% compared with August 2024, while imports increased by 2%. The decline in exports of goods in August was mainly due to a fall in exports to countries outside the EU.

Exports of goods amounted to over €1.4 billion and imports to nearly €1.7 billion at current prices. The trade deficit was €264 million, which is €63 million higher than in August last year.

Allan Aron, foreign trade analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the last time exports of goods declined year on year was in August 2024. “The decrease in exports in August 2025 was mostly influenced by a fall in exports to countries outside the European Union. Exports to EU countries grew by 3%, but exports to non-EU countries fell by as much as 16%,” the analyst noted.

“Looking at countries outside the European Union, exports to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia dropped significantly. Exports of electrical equipment to the United States, wood and articles of wood to the United Kingdom, and machinery and mechanical appliances to Russia saw the biggest decline,” Aron added.

Electrical equipment was the most exported commodity in August

The main commodities exported in August were electrical equipment (15% of Estonia's total exports), agricultural products and food preparations (12%), wood and articles of wood (10%), and transport equipment (10%). Compared with August 2024, the biggest decrease occurred in the exports of mineral products (down by €24 million, or 15%) and base metals and articles of base metal (down by €14 million, or 11%). The greatest increase was seen in the exports of transport equipment (up by €14 million, or 11%).

Estonia’s top export partner in August was Finland (16% of total exports), followed by Latvia (11%), Sweden (9%), and Lithuania (9%). The main commodities exported were electrical equipment to Finland and Sweden and transport equipment to Latvia and Lithuania. Compared with August 2024, the biggest decline was registered in exports to Latvia (down by €28 million), the Netherlands (down by €22 million), and the United States (down by €20 million). To Latvia and the Netherlands, the sharpest decline was seen in exports of mineral products. Exports of goods to Singapore grew the most (by €31 million), with increased dispatches of mineral products.

Goods of Estonian origin accounted for 65% of the total exports of goods in August, and their exports remained at the same level as last year. Re-exports of goods, i.e. the exports of previously imported goods, decreased by 6%.

Estonia’s top import partner was Latvia

The main commodities imported in August were electrical equipment (15% of Estonia’s total imports), agricultural products and food preparations (13%), transport equipment (11%), and mineral products (11%). The biggest year-on-year increases were seen in the imports of electrical equipment (up by €30 million, or 14%) and the greatest decline was recorded in the imports of mineral products (down by €19 million, or 9%).

In August, the top partner countries for imports of goods were Latvia (12% of Estonia's total imports), Finland (11%), Germany (11%), and Lithuania (11%). The main commodities imported were mineral products from Latvia, Finland, and Lithuania, and transport equipment from Germany. Year on year, the biggest rise occurred in imports from the Netherlands (up by €40 million), Latvia (up by €35 million), and the United States (up by €25 million). There were more arrivals of mineral products from the Netherlands and Latvia and greater imports of electrical equipment from the United States. The greatest fall was registered in imports of goods from Finland (down by €76 million), as there were fewer arrivals of mineral products.

Estonia's foreign trade by month, 2023–2025

Estonia’s foreign trade by month, 2024–2025

Month

Exports, million euros

Imports, million euros

Balance, million euros

2024

2025

Change, %

2024

2025

Change, %

2024

2025

TOTAL

11,316

12,145

7

13,484

14,658

9

-2,168

-2,512

January

1,336

1,499

12

1,580

1,850

17

-244

-351

February

1,320

1,469

11

1,580

1,759

11

-260

-291

March

1,457

1,705

17

1,704

1,949

14

-247

-244

April

1,523

1,582

4

1,861

1,907

2

-339

-325

May

1,545

1,585

3

1,748

1,850

6

-203

-264

June

1,362

1,446

6

1,670

1,799

8

-308

-354

July

1,316

1,434

9

1,682

1,854

10

-366

-420

August

1,458

1,426

-2

1,658

1,690

2

-201

-264

Main foreign trade partners of Estonia, August 2025
Country of destination, group of countries

Exports, million euros

Share, %

Change on same month of previous year, %

Country of consignment, group of countries

Imports, million euros

Share, %

Change on same month of previous year, %

TOTAL

1,426

100

-2

TOTAL

1,690

100

2

EU-27

1,101

77

3

EU-27

1,414

84

0

Euro area 20

837

59

2

Euro area 20

1,060

63

1

Non-EU

325

23

-16

Non-EU

275

16

11

1. Finland

234

16

2

1. Latvia

206

12

21

2. Latvia

160

11

-15

2. Finland

184

11

-29

3. Sweden

130

9

4

3. Germany

180

11

-3

4. Lithuania

127

9

13

4. Lithuania

178

11

-3

5. Germany

115

8

13

5. Netherlands

137

8

41

6. Netherlands

62

4

-26

6. Poland

124

7

-6

7. Poland

57

4

10

7. Sweden

120

7

-12

8. Norway

57

4

17

8. China

66

4

-9

9. Denmark

34

2

17

9. Czechia

52

3

20

10. USA

32

2

-38

10. USA

46

3

-

Exports and imports by commodity section, August 2025
Commodity section (chapter) byCombined Nomenclature (CN)

Exports

Imports

Balance

Million euros

Share, %

Change on same month of previous year, %

Million euros

Share, %

Change on same month of previous year, %

Million euros

TOTAL

1,426

100

-2

1,690

100

2

-264

Agricultural products and food preparations (I–IV)

174

12

5

222

13

2

-48

Mineral products (V)

130

9

-15

186

11

-9

-56

Raw materials and products of chemical industry (VI)

71

5

-3

146

9

-7

-75

Articles of plastics and rubber (VII)

43

3

3

84

5

0

-42

Wood and articles of wood (IX)

149

10

-3

54

3

4

95

Paper and articles thereof (X)

24

2

-25

30

2

-5

-6

Textiles and textile articles (XI)

34

2

12

63

4

6

-29

Base metals and articles of base metal (XV)

112

8

-11

136

8

2

-24

Machinery and mechanical appliances (84)

121

9

-1

146

9

4

-25

Electrical equipment (85)

219

15

-2

251

15

14

-32

Transport equipment (XVII)

147

10

11

188

11

-3

-41

Optical, measuring, precision instruments (XVIII)

38

3

-13

38

2

-16

0

Miscellaneous manufactured articles (XX)

97

7

-1

43

2

2

53

Other  

68

5

10

102

6

34

-34

Starting from 2025, Statistics Estonia prepares EU imports statistics using detailed data and estimates from other Member States concerning their exports to Estonia. The data are validated by Statistics Estonia and combined with administrative data. 2025 data based on the new methodology were first published on 12 March 2025. Read more about the changes here (in Estonian).

Statistics Estonia performs the statistical activity “Foreign trade” for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications with the aim to determine how exporting and importing enterprises are performing in Estonia.

Data as at 10 October are published. The indicator values may change if there are any revisions made in the data sources after this date.

See also the foreign trade section on our website. Statistics Estonia’s foreign trade application provides visualised foreign trade data for Estonia.

More detailed data have been published in the statistical database. Due to rounding, the sum of rows in some tables may differ from the sum total of the column.

When using Statistics Estonia’s data and graphs, please indicate the source.
 

For further information:

Susann Kivi
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 5696 6484
press [at] stat.ee (press[at]stat[dot]ee)

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