Québec, August 18, 2020. – Québec’s international merchandise exports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, posted a monthly increase of 6.1% in June 2020, after rising 4.2% in May. Despite the reopening of several sectors of Québec’s economy and its partners that were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, June’s exports remain 14.1% below their February 2020 level.
The increase in June was mainly due to higher exports of medium and heavy-duty trucks (+266.8%), basic organic chemicals not elsewhere classified (+294.5%) and waste and scrap of iron and steel (+117.3%).
Despite the 6.1% increase in total exports, the 25 main products exported by Québec since the beginning of the year saw their exports decline 1.2% in June from May. Among these products, commercial and service industry machinery and equipment (-54.7%), diesel and biodiesel fuels (-43.6%), iron ores and concentrates (-7.5%) and fresh and frozen pork (-16.8%) experienced the largest declines.
In the first six months of 2020, Québec’s international merchandise exports in constant dollars fell 8.8% from the same period in 2019.
Québec’s international merchandise imports bounce back 29.9% in June 2020
Québec’s international merchandise imports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, soared (+29.9%) in June from the previous month. This sharp increase followed four consecutive monthly declines (-2.7% in May; -30.5% in April; -1.4% in March; and -9.3% in February). As with exports, June’s imports remain below their pre-pandemic level (-13.4% from February 2020).
The increase in total imports in June was mainly due to strong gains in imports of light-duty trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles (+445.9%), conventional crude oil (+150.2%), motor gasoline (+741.3%) and passenger cars and chassis (+357.0%).
Among the main products imported by Québec, unwrought gold, silver, and platinum group metals and their alloys (-71.3%), bauxite and aluminum oxide (-25.8%), and aircraft parts and other aerospace equipment (-7.6%) posted the largest declines in June.
In the first six months of 2020, Québec’s international merchandise imports in constant dollars fell 22.1% compared with the same months of 2019.
The situation in Canada
According to data released by Statistics Canada on August 5, Canada’s merchandise exports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, increased 10.6% in June 2020 from the previous month (+0.5% in May). Canada’s merchandise imports increased by 27.9% in June from the previous month (-5.9% in May).
In the first six months of 2020, compared with the same period a year earlier, Canada’s merchandise exports fell 9.0% and merchandise imports declined 15.7%.
|
International merchandise exports and imports1 (percentage change) |
|||||
| 2019 | 2020 | ||||
| Annual change | Monthly change2 | Cumulative change2,3 | |||
| May | June | ||||
| Québec | |||||
| Exports | 0.4 | 4.2 | 6.1 | -8.8 | |
| Imports | 2.6 | -2.7 | 29.9 | -22.1 | |
| Canada | |||||
| Exports | 2.4 | 0.5 | 10.6 | -9.0 | |
| Imports | 1.3 | -5.9 | 27.9 | -15.7 | |
|
1. In constant dollars, at 2012 prices. |
|||||
International Trade Data Online: statistique.quebec.ca/international-trade/#/
The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and all those wishing to learn more about Québec.