Exports totaled almost €1.7 billion and imports more than €1.9 billion at current prices. The trade deficit was €237 million, which is €12 million less than in March last year.

Jane Leppmets, foreign trade analyst at Statistics Estonia, said the positive trend from January and February continued in March.

"Exports of goods grew in all commodity sections. The rise in exports was influenced by an even larger increase in re-exports, which rose by 27 percent year on year. This was mainly due to an increase in the re-exports of transport equipment," he added.

The share of goods of Estonian origin in total exports fell by 3 percentage points year on year, accounting for 65 percent in March this year. Exports of goods of Estonian origin increased by 12 percent in March compared with the same month in 2024.

Finland top export market

The main commodities exported in March were electrical equipment (13% of Estonia's total exports), wood and articles of wood (12 percent), and agricultural products and food preparations (12 percent).

Compared with March 2024, the biggest increase occurred in the exports of transport equipment (up by €37 million, or 27 percent), mineral products (up by €34 million, or 28 percent), and base metals and articles of base metal (up by €27 million, or 26 percent).

Estonia's top export partners in March were Finland (16 percent), Latvia (9 percent), Sweden (8 percent), and Lithuania (8 percent).

The main commodities exported were mineral products to Finland, transport equipment to Latvia and Lithuania, and wood and articles of wood to Sweden.

Compared with March last year, the greatest increase occurred in exports to Finland (up by €49 million), where more mineral products were exported. The largest decrease, by €16 million, was seen in exports to the United States, due to fewer dispatches of mineral products.

Imports of transport equipment grew the most in March

The main commodities imported in March were transport equipment (14 percent), agricultural products and food preparations (12 percent), and electrical equipment (12 percent).

The biggest year-on-year increases were seen in imports of transport equipment (up by €60 million, or 29 percent) and mineral products (by €43 million, or 26 percent).

Estonia's top import partner in March was Latvia (13 percent), followed by Germany (11 percent) and Finland (10 percent).

Trade increased by 14 percent in the first quarter

In the first quarter, both exports and imports of goods were up by 14 percent.

Exports of goods amounted to nearly €4.7 billion and imports to more than €5.5 billion at current prices.

The trade deficit was €860 million, which is €107 million higher than in the first quarter of 2024.

The main commodities exported were electrical equipment, agricultural products and food preparations, and wood and articles of wood.

The main commodities imported were transport equipment, agricultural products and food preparations, and electrical equipment. Estonia's top export partners were Finland, Latvia, and Sweden, whereas Latvia, Germany, and Finland were the main import partners.

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