Import and Export Value

Import and Export Value refers to the total monetary value of goods that actually enter and leave a country's or region's customs territory during a given period, usually measured in a currency unit (such as USD or RMB). It is a core indicator for measuring the scale of foreign trade and consists of import value and export value; the sum of the two is the total import and export value. Usage scenarios include: customs statistics, government foreign trade reports, corporate market analysis, balance of payments statements, etc. Notes: 1) The statistical basis is customs clearance and release, excluding goods not declared in transit trade; 2) Value is usually calculated on an FOB basis for exports and a CIF basis for imports, so the same shipment may be recorded inconsistently across countries; 3) It is necessary to distinguish 'import and export value' from 'trade value,' as the latter sometimes broadly refers to all cross-border transactions, while the former specifically refers to trade in goods. Unlike 'trade balance,' which refers only to the net amount of exports minus imports, import and export value is a total volume concept. Foreign trade practitioners need to pay attention to the impact of exchange rate fluctuations and price terms on the amount, and to differences in statistical methods among countries.