In June, goods worth 118.7 billion euros were shipped abroad from Germany. That was 23.6 percent more than in the same period of the previous year and 1.3 percent more than in May 2021. In the first half of the year, exports rose by 16.7 percent to 673.1 billion euros compared to the first six months of 2020. Imports fell in the same period Period by 15.4 percent to 576.4 billion euros.
Last year, the corona crisis left deep holes in the German export balance. For the current year, the foreign trade association BGA expects a clear plus. However, there are concerns about a lack of materials and scarce raw materials.
According to an Ifo survey, 64 percent of the industrial companies surveyed now complain about bottlenecks and problems with pre-deliveries as an obstacle to their production. Manufacturers are currently still serving demand from their warehouses, “but they are now also becoming increasingly empty,” said Ifo expert Klaus Wohlrabe. If less is produced due to missing parts, not as much can be exported.