Sharp decline in Finnish foreign trade
Finnish imports and exports in February were one third lower than a year ago. Export of metal products fell with nearly 60 percent. Finnish foreign trade has declined more than that of the whole EU.
According to figures put out by the Finnish Customs Service, the value of exports in February was 3.55 billion EUR. This is 36 percent less than a year earlier. Imports were valued at 3.15 EUR, which is 31 percent less than in February 2008, Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE reports. Exports in the electronics, forest, and chemical industries showed a decline of about one third in February. Exports of machinery were down by just under a third, while those of metal products and vehicles declined by nearly 60 percent. Foreign trade in foodstuffs has gone down less in recent months than foreign trade as a whole. Germany remained Finland’s largest single trading partner in January and February, followed by Russia and Sweden. Imports from China and many other Asian countries declined less than overall imports. Exports to these countries slowed nearly at the same pace it did to the rest of the world. Finnish foreign trade declined more in January and February than that of the whole EU. Eurostat put the EU import and export decline at between 22 and 23 percent.
