Uranium, diamonds, fish drive Namibia’s July exports

Namibia keeps feeding the rest of the world through natural resources and food items.

The latest trade statistics released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) show that the country had an export bill of N$12.6 billion, with food items yielding a N$834-million trade surplus.

The country exported goods to 103 countries in July, compared to France, Botswana, India, China and South Africa, accounting for the largest export market.

In terms of products, uranium was the largest exported commodity, accounting for 26% of total exports, largely demanded by China.

Diamonds came second, accounting for 14% mostly destined for Botswana, followed by non-monetary gold, accounting for 11.9% of total exports destined for South Africa.

Meanwhile, fish, which was the only non-mineral product among the top five exports, came in fourth with a share of 11.9% as the Spanish, Zambian and Italian markets demanded the commodity.

Copper and copper articles, occupying the fifth position, contributed 8.2% – mostly destined for markets in India and Singapore.

The sectoral share to total exports saw the manufacturing sector occupying the first position with the largest export value of N$6.5 billion, followed by the mining and quarrying sector, which accounted for N$5.7 billion.

The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector ranked third, contributing a mere 2.8% to the country’s total export.

Statistician general Alex Shimuafeni says the country’s trade deficit for the month stood at N$58 million compared to a surplus of N$856 million recorded in June.

“Namibia was a net exporter of food items with a trade surplus of N$834 million and a net importer of beverages, having recorded a deficit amounting to N$178 million,” he says.

Shimuafeni says the report considered blankets as the commodity of the month.

“The analysis revealed that the country imported blankets worth N$8.1 million, mainly from South Africa, China and Pakistan. On the other hand, the country’s export of this product stood at N$398 104 (mainly for re-export) destined for Angola during the period under study,” he says.

Namibia’s cumulative exports amounted to N$78.6 billion in July, an increase compared to N$67.7 billion registered over the same period last year.

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