Press release No. 239 of 13 June 2022

• Trade with China in April 2022 still largely unaffected by Covid-19 lockdowns
• Imports of chemical products grew almost six-fold year on year
• Exports to Russia decreased again in the second month of war in Ukraine

WIESBADEN – German foreign trade in April 2022 was still largely unaffected by the Covid-19 lockdowns in the People's Republic of China and the related disruptions in freight transport. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that German imports from China increased by 52.8% to 16.7 billion euros compared with April 2021. German exports to China, however, fell by 1.5% to 8.3 billion euros.

As regards German exports to China, the exports of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers in April 2022 (2.6 billion euros) were up 4.0% on a year earlier, whereas exports of machinery fell sharply by 13.4% to 1.4 billion euros.

The import development was contrary to that of exports. The sharp rise in German imports from China (+52.8%) was mainly due to the imports of chemical products (4.4 billion euros). Imports of chemical products from China thus rose almost six-fold (+469.2%) in April 2022 year on year. More raw materials for the production of medicines were purchased in China in April 2022. Imports of other product groups from China also increased considerably in April 2022. Imports of computer products were up by 20.4% to 4.4 billion euros and imports of electrical equipment by 27.1% to 1.9 billion euros.

As a result of these developments, Germany recorded an import surplus (imports minus exports) of 8.4 billion euros in trade with China in April 2022.

Exports to Russia decreasing again

German exports to the Russian Federation decreased again in the second month since war started in Ukraine, following a sharp fall of just under 60% in March 2022 year on year. Germany exported goods to the value of 828.2 billion euros to Russia in April 2022, which was 64.1% less than a year earlier. Large decreases were recorded again for exports of machinery, which dropped by 57.7% to 226.9 million euros compared with April 2021, and for exports of chemical products, which fell by 53.1% to 114.1 million euros.

In April 2022, the large decline of exports to Russia was again contrasted by a marked increase of imports, in terms of value. German imports from Russia rose by 41.9% to 3.7 billion euros. Crude oil and natural gas were the most important goods imported from Russia with an increase in value terms of 37.8% to 2.2 billion euros. Other important import goods were coke and refined petroleum products (+94.3% to 0.4 billion euros) and coal (+334.7% to 0.4 billion euros). The development was contrary for the volumes exported and imported. In April 2022, the volume of goods imported from Russia was down 26.1% from the same month a year earlier. The increases in the value of imports are mainly due to the higher prices – especially in the energy sector.

The import surplus in trade with Russia amounted to 2.9 billion euros in April. In March it had been 3.4 billion euros.

More information:

All detailed results on German foreign trade in reference month April 2022 are available in the GENESIS-Online database ((tables 51000). The foreign trade results also form part of the Crisis Monitor (www.destatis.de/krisenmonitor), by means of which the Federal Statistical Office compares the development of major short-term indicators in the Covid-19 crisis and the financial and economic crisis of 2008/2009. They can also be found on the Corona statistics" webpage (www.destatis.de/corona) and in the Dashboard Germany (www.dashboard-deutschland.de) (only in german), together with other indicators which can be used to assess the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Dashboard Germany portal of the Federal Statistical Office combines up-to-date indicators of official statistics and indicators of other data providers on the topics of economy and finance as well as health and mobility.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the related sanctions have an impact on many parts of the economy and society. We have compiled data and information on the subject for you on a special webpage (only in german).